Inferno
by lezonne
Summary: After a very drunk mistake, Hermione vows to make sure Ron can never forget her name for all the wrong reasons. Enlisting Malfoy is like the cherry on top of the cake, and if all goes to plan he will regret ever saying the wrong name in bed. Rated for adult themes and possible lemons in the future.
1. Chapter 1

**Rating:** M for adult themes.

"Go Gryffindor!" Seamus cried, getting whoops and hollers from the rest of the students. After winning their second game in a row for the season the team was feeling good and spirits were high. It was nice to see everyone so jolly after the last few months.

"Can you believe them?" Ginny asked, handing Hermione off a drink as she sat down. "I think Harry is actually chugging drinks."

"I think it's good he's having fun," she laughed, crossing her legs. Looking around the room she couldn't see one person who wasn't having a good time. She took a large sip of the drink in her hand, already feeling a buzz from the prior one. "After everything, he deserves it."

Ginny's eyes widened, a grin spreading over her face. "Wow. Who are you and what did you do with Hermione Granger?"

"I just want to have a good time," the brunette replied, winking. "It's nice to sit back with friends and just enjoy ourselves. Besides, I'd much rather be down here than in my dorm. Malfoy does enough partying for both of us."

She tried to push that thought out of her mind. Malfoy shouldn't even be back at school after the war yet there he was being _rewarded_ for all his bad behavior. The thought of him made her want to be sick most of the time.

"I'm sure," Ginny said, waving as Harry and Ron approached. She was far too familiar with Hermione's opinion of her roommate. She'd absolutely lost it when Malfoy was announced as a Head student, but no amount of persuasion on her part would sway McGonagall's decision. "Anyway, Harry and I signed up for games later, do you want to join?"

"No, no I'm good," she replied, sharing a look with Ron. He'd come up behind her and was softly massaging her neck. They planned to escape for some alone time later, something they could rarely get. Ron promised he had something special for her, but she hadn't been able to figure out what yet.

It didn't really matter what it was, so long as she got some proper time with him. The school year started off with a bang, and they hardly had time to themselves most days.

"Too b-bad," Harry replied, hiccupping halfway through his sentence. He started laughing a little, and Hermione realized the drinking he was doing was starting to hit him hard.

It felt great to just have fun for once.

Looking around the common room she could already see couples splitting off into little corners looking for privacy, or slipping out the door. If a prefect found and reported them there was nothing Hermione could do about that.

Besides, she had a place in mind to be alone with Ron, and it would _definitely_ be uninterrupted. She could feel her head beginning to spin from the alcohol, her mind slowing down to a comfortable hum as she bounced along to the music playing. Gryffindor common room was anything but boring tonight.

Ron bent down, leaning to kiss her cheek as his hands came around to grasp her breasts. She jumped a little, pushing his hands away as her head whipped around, trying to figure out if anyone saw.

"Come on 'Mione," he drawled, spinning around to flop down on the sofa beside her. She realized that Ginny and Harry had disappeared off to the other side of the room where people were dancing. She must've zoned out to completely miss them leaving. "Where is this secret place?"

She smiled, trying to focus. Her head was more focused on the music than her conversation. "Hmm, not yet. Why rush?"

"Why not?" he countered, grinning. He reached over and squeezed her thigh, and she gave him a pointed look.

"We don't have to rush," she said again, flipping around to lay her head on his lap. "This is the… the first big party of the year! We can't leave too soon."

He laughed. "You're so drunk."

"No, you."

Hermione knew she'd had more than enough to drink, but that really wasn't deterring her from following Ron's pointed finger to two drinks he'd brought over. She was having fun, shrugging off her head duties for the first time all year. She wanted to relax.

She wanted to have fun.

"Oh!" she said, suddenly jumping up causing Ron's drink to slosh. She'd had a hefty sip of her own, but that was enough. Her brain knew she was drunk, but that didn't stop her from jumping up and swaying on her feet. "My surprise!"

Ron grinned, the glossy look in his eyes not disappearing. "Show me."

Giggling, she grabbed Ron's arm and dragged him to his feet. He was just as unbalanced as she was, and they swayed together for a moment before regaining balance.

She was marginally surprised with herself. She never drank this much.

They slipped out the common room door without anyone so much as looking their way. The party was underway and no one would miss them. Hermione tripped as she walked along, her legs not wanting to keep her upright as they stumbled through the hallways. Ron was laughing at her side, and several times she had to remind him to be quiet so the prefects wouldn't find them. Finally she came to a door.

"The library?" Ron asked, his tone not as light as before. "Y-you're joking, right?"

"No!" she cried, pulling a key out of her pocket. Immediately one finger flew to her lips, and she glanced down the empty hallways. "Shh. McGonagall gave me this key so I can study in privacy. But now the library is all empty…"

Still looking skeptical, Ron cocked his head to the side and nearly toppled over from the movement. "So?"

"So, it's private! My dorm isn't private." She made a face, inserting the key into the lock. "I know this place is empty at this time of night. No one will find us. Come on, I gotta show you."

Skipping haphazardly into the library she shooed Ron in as well, ignoring his unimpressed look. The dorms wouldn't let her go up to his room, and she certainly couldn't bring him back to hers without having to deal with Malfoy.

No, anywhere was better than her dorm.

She attempted to be quiet as she turned to lock the door but failed, laughing with Ron louder as the door slammed shut. "Whoops."

"Shh, shh," Ron said, grasping her hand. He had perked up a little now that they were inside, and a clumsy flick of her wand dimly lit the space. "We don't want anyone hearing us."

Laughing, she swatted his chest. "No one's down here; they won't hear."

She almost felt like she was betraying her heritage by making out on the tables, but it was one of the main places she could think of to be alone with Ron. They'd done so several times in the past so what difference would another night make? Ron was always ready to do something, and how much more private could they get?

"Back here," she said, smiling widely as she skipped through the rows of books. She would be comfortable just sitting there in the silence reading, but tonight was a different occasion. She wobbled as she went, almost falling over as they disappeared further into the library.

"Come back," he laughed, catching her from behind in an embrace. It was so nice to be silly together that she almost forgot she was supposed to be leading him someplace.

He spun her around for a kiss, holding her there to deepen the moment. Hermione pulled away when he attempted to use his tongue, stepping further into the library. "Remember, nothing funny Ron."

The redhead rolled his eyes, sitting down on the nearest table. "Come on Hermione, have some fun. Let loose."

She giggled again when he dragged her down for a kiss again, thankful that she had remembered to lock the door. "Ron, you promised remember? Nothing funny. J-just alone time."

"Shh," he said again with a smile, trailing his fingers down her cheek. "It's fine."

He dragged her down on the table with him, and she tried to focus on what she brought him here for. Oh right, a place further in with pillows and a window view. Much nicer than this table, and the wood was biting into her back as they laid down together.

She blinked, her head rushing at the new position and her vision wobbled. She hadn't been this drunk before, and now she'd forgotten what she was thinking about. Ron was kissing her neck now, mumbling something she couldn't hear.

She was getting a headache.

"Ron," she whispered, pulling on his arm. "We-we aren't there yet."

"Hmm?" he asked, his hands wandering down her body. She thought she had pushed him away, but now she didn't remember. Maybe she was just thinking about pushing his hands away.

Merlin, she was tired.

What was she just thinking about?

Oh, they were supposed to be in the back of the library with the pillows. Pillows, they would be comfortable under her head. Merlin, her head was hurting.

She closed her eyes a moment, the tiredness spreading through her body. She thought drunk people usually partied and then puked. Did they usually fall asleep? She couldn't recall.

She jerked up when she felt something pulling at her jeans, Ron fumbling around with the zipper. Startled he spot back from her, looking at her with bleary eyes.

"Lav, come on."

 _Lav?_

Hermione shook her head, trying to clear the fog in her brain as she pulled back from Ron. He looked a little disoriented as she did so, nearly faceplanting the table when she pulled back. Her legs didn't want to hold her now, they felt like they were made of jelly.

"L-lav?" she asked quietly, trying to get the new pounding in her head to stop. Did she doze off? She thought Ron was kissing her neck. "You called me Lav?"

Ron blinked, rubbing his eyes several times before he pushed himself into a sitting position, swaying on the table. She didn't think he was so drunk, but maybe he was. "'Mione?"

"Yes!" she screamed, backing away from him. His eyes were distant, looking to either side of her instead of in her direction. It didn't matter that her legs were shaking and she felt a little dizzy from moving too quick, she didn't want to sit at that table. "Of course it's me!"

Frowning, he continued looking to either side of her. "But… but I t-thought-"

"What did you think?!" she screamed, taking another step back. She hit the bookcase behind her and grasped either side to keep from falling over. She felt cold, the air chillier than before. "Why would you call me Lavender? _We_ came down here together!"

"I-"

"No!" she snapped, cutting him off. Her hands came around to hug herself and she realized her blouse was pulled up above her chest, the entire upper portion of her torso exposed. She jerked the fabric down hastily, ignoring the sound of tearing. "No, no! I can't b-believe you Ronald!"

He said something that she didn't quite catch, her vision swimming. Maybe she was too drunk to be storming off, but it didn't really matter. Turning she moved towards the library door, not really caring if Ron stayed there all night long.

When the _hell_ did he forget who she was?

Her mind was raging as she broke out of the library, the key to the door clutched too tight in her hand. She couldn't just leave it open or someone would go in. Ron was running to catch up behind her, his heavy breathing drawing her attention.

The moment he stepped out of the library she slammed the door shut, locking it as he tried to catch his breath. He was heaving behind her. Obviously, he should not have played so many games with Harry before leaving.

"Hermione-"

"Don't," she seethed, turning to glare at him. One hand rested on the door, helping to hold her up. "I _know_ what you expected tonight Ron, and I'm glad I did not go through with it. It would've been one of my b-biggest mistakes! Leave me alone."

"But-"

"Go away," she snapped, turning to head to her dorm. Her head wasn't fuzzy enough that she'd forgotten where that was. The short heel of her shoes made it hard to walk, but she had to get _away_ from him.

How could he mistake her for that ditz?

Ron's voice faded as she walked, and the heaving returned. He was going to be sick long before he could chase her, which was good. She couldn't imagine running right now, not with her head spinning and her heart hurting.

She just wanted to cry, and that was totally pathetic.

By the time she made it to her room she thought she was going to pass out. Her head was screaming and she couldn't imagine dealing with anything else. Shoving the door open she stumbled into the dark common room in her dorm, ignoring the fact that she might wake her grouchy roommate she flicked on the lights.

Her cheeks felt wet. She didn't really remember crying.

Sinking down in the entranceway she tried to get her head to quit spinning. Ron didn't have the password to her dorm, so he wouldn't be able to get in even if he did follow. Shifting onto her side on the floor she closed her eyes, conscious of how fast her heart seemed to be beating.

It wouldn't make a difference if she just rested her for a while.

Somewhere off in the distance she thought she heard someone speaking, but it didn't seem particularly important and she was dreadfully tired. The last thing she heard before passing out was someone from above saying "Granger?"

 **A/n:** So there you have it, my first attempt at a revenge fic on Hermione's part. If I continue there will be a lot more focus on Ron's "cheating" and everything leading up to that. Also, there's a specific reason why I had them go to the library instead of the Room of Requirement.

If this story continues the chapters will not be super long, only about 2500 words or so. And although this first chapter had a little Ron/Hermione focus, this fic is definitely a Draco/Hermione centric story.

Let me know your thoughts. I'm trying to get out of a writing rut so we will see if this goes anywhere!


	2. Chapter 2

Draco huffed, staring down at the heap of a girl on the floor. Honestly, for being such a know-it-all twit, she sure could cause a ruckus.

He glared at the clock on the wall again, wondering how he got oh so lucky. It was just past four in the morning and here he was, standing in the middle of the common room, watching a _clearly_ drunk Granger sleep.

Why did she have to pass out right there? It's not a huge room but damn, couldn't she at least make it to the couch?

She shifted around on the floor, and he crinkled his nose. She didn't look like she'd be waking up anytime soon. He'd already tried jabbing her in the head with his wand and that hadn't done any good.

And he was certainly _not_ moving her.

Titling his head to the side he studied the brunette. She was flushed, and her cheeks looked puffy with faint streaks down them. Potentially she'd been crying. He also noted that she reeked of alcohol even from up there; a smell he definitely did _not_ associate with Granger.

Her shirt was pulled up from her trousers, and he could faintly see where the fabric was torn and the faintest outline of bruises on her hips. Maybe she partied a little _too_ hard.

All in all, he was debating if it was worthwhile waking her up or if he should just leave her passed out on the floor. A lot less work for him that way.

"' _Mione_! Please, please talk to me."

Oh right, there was also the blithering idiot on the other side of the door begging her to come out. How long did he plan on standing out there exactly? The moron only showed up a few minutes ago looking for his dormmate, and hadn't gone away since.

Weasley was more of a pain in the arse right now than Granger. At least she was quiet.

Draco studied her a moment longer, wondering what kind of stupid move Weasley made this time to result in the current situation. Why else would he be banging on the door at this ungodly hour?

 _Could always just throw her out the door. They can hash it out in the hallway together._

He watched as Granger groaned and rolled around in her sleep, quickly dashing that idea. He'd probably just get in trouble for _throwing_ her out of the dorm, and then he'd just get an earful about that. Besides, he wasn't sure she'd wake up even if he did bother moving her.

"Damnit Hermione, come on! I know you are in there! Don-Don't be mad!"

Weasel was drunk too. Ah, it was going to be a _really_ shitty day.

Turning from the brunette he stomped over to the door, his patience wearing away. One minute he's enjoying sleep and the next he's dealing with all this crap. If he kept a damn silencing spell on his room like Blaise suggested he wouldn't be in this mess. Hell, he wouldn't even know she was back.

Jerking the door, he almost ran into Weasley on the other side. "Oi Malfoy!"

Draco took a step back, maintaining his hold on the door as Weasley continued leaning on it. The twit had a far off look in his eyes, and he had an even stronger smell than Granger did. Turning up his nose, Draco scowled. "Fuck Weasley, what are you doing here?"

""Mione-"

"Is passed out," he snapped, watching the ginger teeter on his feet. "She doesn't even know you're out here screaming your bloody head off."

"Well I need t-to see her," Ron argued, reaching out to push the door open. In his intoxicated state his palm slipped, and instead he ended up slouched again. "Move out-ta the way!"

"I don't think so Weasel," he sighed, giving the door a shake. It was enough to startle the man back, giving Draco's arm some relief from the weight. "You two can argue in the morning all you want when it isn't an _impossible_ hour of morning. She's passed out anyway, it's not like you could talk."

Ron sneered, trying to stand taller and see past the blond. Draco rolled his eyes. That wouldn't work when she was on the _other_ side of the door, well past view.

"Move Malfoy," he snapped, digging into his pockets. Clearly he was looking for a wand, but at this rate Draco didn't have any fear of being hexed. Pinching the bridge of his nose, he tried to will himself to not jinx the moron. McGonagall really _might_ revoke his head boy title then.

"Look-"

Draco cut himself off when he heard noise in the common room, glancing over his shoulder to see what was going on now. Granger was miraculously on her feet, using the wall for support as she stumbled over to him, holding her stomach.

If she was sick on him he'd be absolutely _livid_.

Grasping the door she tried pulling it out of Draco's hand, and he let go eagerly. If she was awake this wasn't his bloody problem anymore.

And Weasley appeared to be _still_ searching for his wand, oblivious to her arrival.

"Ronald," she snapped, the firmness of her voice obscured by the following hiccup and her swaying body. Draco felt his eyebrows raising. If she managed to survive an entire conversation without passing out again he would be amazed.

 _Did she just call him Ronald?_

Immediately Weasley's face brightened, and he gave up the lost pursuit for his wand. "'Mione! I-I knew Malfoy was lying-"

"I was not-"

"Of course you wan-na talk to me!"

"Yes I do," she continued, her voice not wavering as much as his. "You have no _right_ to be asking f-for me."

Draco's ears perked up a bit. At least a true argument would make this worthwhile. Maybe he could get some actual dirt on the head girl and finally have some sort of leverage over her.

"But-"

"No buts," she cried, her voice reaching an ear-splitting octave. "Leave m-me alone Ronald. We're finished."

Ah, even better gossip than Draco anticipated. He leaned against the other side of the doorframe, watching the two stare each other down. This was well worth his lost sleep.

For his part, Weasley looked crushed. "You can't-"

"I mean every word o-of it-t!" she snapped, swaying on her feet again. Her eyes focused on Draco, seeming to just remember he was there. "G-go away Ron. I don't want to s-see you."

"Don't be that way," he blurted out, reaching for her hand. She recoiled at his touch, shrinking back into the room. If Weasley noticed he didn't seem to care. He tried again, attempting to soften the tone of his voice. "Come on-"

She flinched, nearly tripping as she shifted away again. "No, you come on! We're through after all this Ron. I can't be with someone… someone who forgets me."

"It was an accident-"

"The accident was bringing you to the library!" Granger seethed, digging her nails into the wood of the door. Her other hand was shaking in what Draco presumed was anger. Maybe he would get lucky and she would clock Weasley just like she clocked him third year.

That would really make his night.

Taking a chance Weasley tried stepping into the room, and that was his undoing. Moving faster than Draco thought she could in her current state, she whipped out her wand, shoving it into the ginger's neck. The action was enough to cause him to choke, backing away out of the entrance again.

Draco wasn't really sure that's what she meant to do, but it worked. The moment he was outside the entrance she grabbed the door, and he had barely enough time to jump out of the doorframe before she slammed the door in Weasley's face.

He started screaming something outside, the sound much more choked than before. Draco couldn't decide if the moron was about to cry or be sick, but either option sounded deplorable.

Glancing at his dormmate, he noted she was in a similarly bad state.

She had backed up all the way to the nearest chair, head in her hands. She hiccupped again despite her apparently distressed state. Her shoulders were shaking now, just like her legs.

Draco blanched.

"Please don't say anything," she whispered, her voice barely carrying above the shouts from outside. Her wand was still clasped in her hand, though her eyes were beginning to droop and her aim was dropping. He was right, she barely managed to stay conscious for the argument.

"You really shouldn't cast spells," he replied shortly, drawing out his own. With a flick of his wrist he locked the door, successfully silencing Weasley too. "You're more likely to cause injury when you cast spells inebriated."

The girl nodded, body slouching down into the chair. He scoffed as she closed her eyes, head drooping further into the chair as her wrist went lax and her wand tumbled down into the seat.

It took less than a minute for her to begin softly snoring, and Draco just about lost it. He didn't even get to know what those two were bickering about? Come on, he stayed up and listened to their argument!

Watching Granger sleep he grunted, deciding to let it go. Tomorrow was Sunday, and he knew with how drunk she was she couldn't possibly run off early. She'd be lucky if she could see straight in the morning.

Deciding she really couldn't cause anymore trouble right now, he stepped away from her back towards his room, letting the door bang shut behind him. Let her kink her neck up all night for all he cared.

It wasn't his damn problem.

* * *

Hermione woke to drumming in her ears and a painfully dry mouth. Cracking one eye open she noted the brightness behind their curtains, and with a groan shielded her face,

Her head was thumping. What the hell did she do to herself?

She tried stretching out, her body achy from the position she'd slept in. Somehow she made it to the comfiest chair in the room, but she didn't recall heading this direction.

In fact, her memory was hazy as to how she made it back into the dorm. The last thing she recalled was running madly back to the dorm…

Oh, and _Ron._

Leaning back into the chair she groaned. Why did he have to go and ruin everything? They were perfectly happy before he said _her_ name, and now everything was destroyed.

More than destroyed. She broke up with him, which honestly wasn't the worst thing she could've done. They'd never been terribly physical before, so if he could mess up and mutter _her_ name while in the middle of trying to undress her, she had little hope that they both committed to the non-physical relationship.

Honestly, she wasn't quite sure why she was surprised. Ron was always impatient, why should she expect that he wouldn't jump the gun for sex too?

Rubbing her head, she tried to push Ron out of her head. She was already upset enough, and she knew she didn't need to be overthinking things. Besides, what's done is done and she couldn't take back the breakup now.

She didn't want to, either.

Sitting up she fought a wave of nausea, wondering how she managed to not puke through the night. Her memories were a little scattered, but she knew well enough that she hadn't been sick. If she had she'd just have a foul taste in her mouth, not a stomachache.

"So, it moves."

She groaned, shielding her eyes from the sunlight to glare at Malfoy, who was apparently just across the way on the sofa reading. Glaring into the sunlight she frowned, knowing their curtains were never open.

He must've done that on purpose.

"Shut up, Malfoy," she grunted, pressing her hands over her eyes. "Why the hell are the curtains open?"

"Ah, it moves _and_ it's snarky this morning," he continued, smirking. "I didn't think you'd wake up for at least another hour."

Hermione couldn't respond, instead grunting something behind her hands. Her headache was increasing the longer she was up, and if she didn't try and force feed herself soon she really would be sick.

"Come now Granger, don't be grouchy. We still have to have a little chat about last night."

"Nothing to talk about," she snapped, removing her hands from her eyes. Her mouth was sickly dry, and she knew she needed to get some water soon to rehydrate herself.

Malfoy scoffed, and she could hear him shifting around on the sofa. "Hardly. I think your break-up announcement should really be broadcast this morning."

She groaned. _Of course_ he knew about that. He knew about everything after standing right there while they argued. If she hadn't been so drunk she might've thought to tell him to bugger off, but it was too late now.

"I'm not announcing it," she muttered, cracking open one eye to look towards him. "There's nothing to announce. Everyone will find out soon enough anyway."

If Ron hadn't already told them.

Suppressing a wave of sadness she pushed back her nausea, standing to head to her room. She couldn't deal with Malfoy right now, not before some pepper-up potion and _a lot_ of coffee.

Hopefully no one else would bother her today.

Malfoy snapped behind her, but she couldn't focus. Wandering towards her room she felt the nausea increase, and without warning she bolted into her room, slamming the door. She barely made it to the joint bathroom before losing whatever was in her stomach, the rancid taste lingering in her mouth.

Couching, she closed the lid and flushed, her mind working a mile a minute. How could things go from so amazingly perfect one night, and be ruined by the next morning?

She let her eyes drop, taking a shuddering breath. It didn't really matter what else she did today, she just didn't know what to do now.

 **A/n:** Thanks for reading, let me know how you liked the chapter. Don't worry, Hermione will be less mopey as the chapters progress.


	3. Chapter 3

"I heard this nasty little rumor earlier Granger."

Draco smirked to himself on the other side of the door, imaging her annoyed expression. Really her life didn't mean that much to him, but having something to hang over her head was just too much fun.

Besides, after everything that went on last night he wanted to know what really happened. His interest was more than peaked.

"Go away Malfoy, " she grunted, her voice barely carrying through the heavy door. She hadn't come out since this morning, and from the nasty smell he'd encountered upon entering the bathroom he'd assumed she got sick. Poor, pathetic Gryffindor couldn't hold her liquor. "I don't care."

"You might care about this one," he replied, leaning on the wall. She'd come out sooner or later.

She moaned, her voice increasing. "Is it about Ron?"

"Well, it does have to do with you and the Weasel." He wrinkled his nose, thinking about the rumor. He didn't know how much was actually true, but he was determined to get to the bottom of it.

She opened the door just wide enough to glare at him, sighing at his smirk. "And why, pray tell, do you care to tell me?"

"Oh, I don't know if I care so much as I just want to see your reaction."

"Well, spit it out already," she snapped, eyes narrowing.

His smirk widened, leaning against the doorframe of her room. She really was kind of run to mess with when she wasn't a drunken moron. "Apparently your little lover is going around screaming about how you dumped him after sex. Pretty shady move there Granger."

Her eyes widened as she threw the door open, a blush blossoming over her cheeks. He too a step back as the door bounced loudly against the wall. "He what?!"

"I know, it terrifies me too. The idea of a naked Weasel is just too much."

Her body was shaking, which was definitely not the reaction he expected. Eyes wide, hands clenched, she looked ready to obliterate someone. "How… how did you hear that?"

He wrinkled his nose, taking another step back for his own safety. "Pansy was raving about it. She actually came up here to tell me. I have no idea who told her, but she was elated to share. Apparently Weasley is throwing a fit over it."

"It-it isn't true!" she snapped, glaring at him. She was close to panicking, and he noted gratefully her wand did not seem to be on her person. "I-we didn't do anything like that! I told him no."

Draco frowned, recalling the marks he'd seen on her skin last night and the torn blouse. He just assumed it was from sex, nothing else. "Well you sure had bruises from yesterday like something did happen."

"That's because he-" she stopped, cutting herself off. He arched an eyebrow at her hesitation, but she shook her head to banish the thought. "Never mind. The point is that didn't happen. He's lying, and I definitely didn't breakup with him after sleeping with him. Quite the opposite really."

His frown deepened, looking her over again. "Granger-"

"Don't ask," she interrupted, straightening her wrinkled shirt. "It doesn't matter. What matters is Ron is lying about me to everyone." She shook her head. "Why would he do that?"

Draco scoffed. "You're asking me?"

"No, I guess not. I'm just asking in general. I knew he'd be mad at me, but I didn't think he'd do something like this." She rubbed her face, looking lost. "I thought he would just let it go last night. I didn't think he'd make it into a bigger ordeal."

"You realize it would be a big deal even if he hadn't been a drunken moron at our door last night, right? What did you even do to start an argument like that?"

Her eyes flashed. "Why do you care?"

"Because it's ruining my weekend," Draco snapped, losing his cool. "And your drunken arse was a pain last night, you brought a drunken Weasel along, and you kept we awake for hours. So you owe me an explanation for what happened."

"I really don't owe you anything," she replied, lifting her chin. "It's none of your business. But if you're going to continue pestering me, I may as well tell you since now I'm going to have to say something to everyone. We broke up because Ron couldn't remember my name while we… nevermind."

He scoffed, feeling his eyebrows lift up. He expected Granger to tell him something stupid that Weasley did o push her over the edge. He didn't expect she'd tell him _that_.

"Your twat of an ex-boyfriend messed up during sex?"

Her cheeks reddened again, practically bleeding the color. "We didn't have sex! This was before we got to that point. I-well, we were… you know, it's not actually important."

Draco couldn't help himself. He burst out laughing, leaning back into the wall for support. The stunned look on her face when she tried explaining that was too good for words. And to make matters funny the know-it-all was blushing while trying to talk to him.

Seriously, he didn't know he'd get this much out of her.

"That's rich," he said, continuing to laugh as he wandered to the couch. "I can't believe Weasel messed up so bad. Is that why you were so livid yesterday?" He cackled, holding his head as he sat down. "How can he possibly mess that up? I've slept with more than my fair share of women and I've never messed up so bad!"

He continued chuckling to himself, letting the noise fill the silent common room. When he finally got ahold of himself again he glanced back at his dormmate, noting the devastated look in her eyes. He cleared his throat, frowning at her.

"You're not seriously going to let Weasley's slip of tongue get you down, are you?"

She halfway raised her head, giving him a tired look. "I haven't decided yet, I need to talk to him first."

"I wouldn't waste much time," he replied, making a face. "You're decent looking without that ginger haired reject clinging to your hip. You can probably get a boyfriend again, another desperate dork."

She paused, blinking at him. He supposed his words sounded like a back handed compliment, but that wasn't his intention. He certainly would never look twice at the girl.

"I have to go talk to him," she snapped, more conviction in her voice than before. "I'm not going to let him turn me into the bad guy here."

"You think talking will help?" he asked, looking through the book he'd set aside. He didn't have anything left to say to Granger. All he planned on doing was laughing at her expense. She didn't need to give him a play by play of her plans.

"Talking always helps," she snapped, shifting around behind him. He didn't look up, choosing to ignore the girl. "Ron's a prick but he's not a total jerk. I just need to talk and he'll see reason."

Draco scoffed, rolling his eyes. "Whatever you say Granger."

* * *

Hermione hoped luck was on her side when she spotted Ron up ahead of her, the only other bloke in the entire hallway being Seamus. She hurried up to him, unconcerned with the loud slapping sound of her shoes against the floor.

Her cheeks were burning red. Enough people either stared or glared on her way there, and she didn't look all the looks. Most looked surprised or disgusted, but others were coy and curious. She really didn't need all those eyes following her around.

Thank Merlin this hallway was mostly empty.

"Ronald!" she snapped, grabbing the back of his sweater. It was enough to draw his attention but not completely stop him, and he whirled around to smack her hand away. His eyes were alive with fire, and she could see the malice within them.

"Hermione," he seethed, voice lower than she was used to. "What the hell do you want?"

"I want you to stop lying," she cried, jabbing a finger at him. "You know as well as I do that we didn't sleep together! You're making this whole thing up. Why can't you just-"

"Shh," he snapped, hand snaking out to grab her wrist. She jumped, surprised by how much force he wanted to put behind the action. He shot Seamus a look, faking a grin. "I'll be up in a few."

Seamus for his part looked conflicted, glancing between the pair. "You two sure everything's alright? I know you broke up but-"

"Everything's fine," Ron replied, smiling while he pressed harder on her wrist. She shot him a glare, waiting until Seamus was out of earshot before she jerked her arm to break free.

"Let go Ron, you have a lot of explaining to do," she snapped, tugging at her wrist. He had yet to let go, and if he didn't soon she would be forced to make him. Instead he started tugging her away from the hallway into a much smaller, less used one.

He dragged her in and nearly threw her into the wall. The idiot took several steps back from her, looking momentarily started by what he'd done. Hermione reached into her pocket, immediately drawing her wand. He was unusually violent.

"How dare you?" she snapped, ignoring the stinging in her eyes. She would not allow herself to get upset right now. "How could you say that about me, Ron?"

"It's not like it's believable," he argued back, crossing his arms. "It's actually hilarious that people think you'd sleep with _anyone_. The fact that everyone is falling for it is funnier than I imagined."

"It's not funny!" Hermione replied, steeling her gaze. "People are getting the wrong impression and everyone knows! Hell, even Malfoy heard about it."

He chuckled. "Wow, news travels fast. I don't understand why you are upset, you're a prudish bitch so you know it's not true-"

"I am not," she seethed, stepping closer to him. Her wrist was throbbing, the pressure he'd put on it leaving an ache behind. "You're a pig for being so pushy! Is that why you had memories of _Lavender_ now? You couldn't possibly wait for me?"

Ron laughed this time, his expression darkening. "If I waited for you I'd be rolling in my grave. Lavender was willing, and she'll do everything you wouldn't."

She blushed, feeling the anger building up. "It doesn't matter what she does Ronald, you cheated on me with her and now you're lying about me! Don't you care at all that you've turned me into a villain when I'm the one getting screwed?"

He shook his head, stepping closer to her. He hadn't drawn his wand the entire time, keeping his eyes trained on hers instead. "Trust me, you're not getting screwed. That's what I've been trying to do to you." He grinned, reaching out to grab her waist. She immediately placed the wand at his chest, daring him to try something else. He pulled her closer anyway, letting the wand stab into him. "Besides, what are you worried about? No one's ever going to want you anyway."

Hermione jerked back, smacking his arm away from her waist. He looked prepared for her reaction, immediately grabbing her hip and dragging her against him. She didn't hesitate, and in seconds he was lying flat on his back several feet away.

"Just because you didn't want me doesn't mean someone else won't!" she cried, but her voice trembled. Whatever he'd been trying to do hadn't worked, and although he was away from her now she didn't feel better. She actually felt worse that he still thought he could touch her. "You might not have patience but someone else will."

Ron didn't laugh this time, pushing himself up on his elbows to glare at her. "Keep telling yourself that."

"You need to tell people you're lying, or I'll have to tell them the truth why we broke up. Do you really think your story is more believable than mine?"

"Mine was first," he snapped, eyes narrowing. He sat up straighter and rubbed his head. "Anything you say now will try to sound like you're trying to save yourself."

She bit her lip, knowing that was exactly what she was doing. She wanted him to know that he couldn't tarnish her reputation, couldn't make her feel bad about herself or his stupid lies.

He was getting through her skin though with his comments. When he wanted to, Ron knew exactly how to cut her down.

"I always thought you were better," she whispered, the fight leaving her. Why she thought confronting Ron would work she didn't know, but his words were enough to tell her she wasn't having an effect. Instead of resolving the issue she'd probably made it worse. "Clearly I was wrong."

"You were wrong about a lot of shite," he replied, standing up. He didn't move towards her, just glared at her through slitted eyes. "If you were better, it would've never come to this. You did it to yourself."

She smiled sadly, backing away from him. She didn't have anything else to say to him, not now, not when he was so absolutely certain that she was wasted time. He didn't even regret lying to the school about what happened. Ron didn't have an ounce of regret in his eyes.

"You'll be sorry you let me go," she continued, backing out of the hall. "I don't know what you see in her, but I'll make you realize all the things you failed to see in me."

He said something in return, but she was no longer listening. Turning, she bolted out of the hallway and down the next, intent on putting as much space between them as possible. Her cheeks were wet, and she knew she was crying due to the blasted idiot.

How could he make her feel so horrible? They were supposed to have something special.

* * *

Draco glanced up when Granger returned not even an hour later, slouching into the common room. He hadn't expected her to actually be successful on her little endeavor, but there was no stopping her when determined. He didn't expect to see her crying however, or her swollen wrist.

He narrowed his eyes. "Didn't go well?"

"Shove off Malfoy," she muttered, falling onto the other side of the sofa. The swollen wrist rested gently on her stomach, her eyes studying the swollen flesh.

"Get into an argument?" he continued, recalling their conversation from earlier.

"Something like that." She pulled her wand out, casting a simple spell over her skin. It didn't look broken, but he could pretty obviously see the makings of a handprint.

Scoffing, he snatched up her arm, careful to not touch the darkening skin. She gasped, jerking in his grip. "Are you seriously letting him beat on you?"

"No," she seethed, her words so final he dropped her arm. "I'm not. Ron… he never hurt me before." He snorted. "I'm serious! He hasn't acted this way until recently… until the last few months."

He arched an eyebrow, putting the pieces together. "He got picky cause you won't put out?"

"Well, that's a bit of a crude way to say it but yes, essentially." She sighed, brushing back her hair with the other hand. "There's more, but I won't trouble you with it. We're through, more than ever now. It doesn't matter what led to it."

Draco fell silent, watching her from the corner of his eye. Dumping Weasley really affected her. She never sat on the couch with him before, not that it bothered him. Usually she went out of her way to avoid him, and he her. Last night dealing with the Weasel was more time than they'd spent together since moving into the dorm.

She must feel pretty weird to be sitting with him, falling to pieces telling him little stories about what was going off. If he hadn't been partially involved last night, he wasn't sure she would've said a word.

Apparently seeing the whole break up disaster was what got him in her good graces enough to share. He didn't know if he actually wanted her to keep indulging him. He had a little bit of blackmail material, but most of it was gone since Weasel told everyone they broke up.

"Malfoy?"

He glanced over again, noting the wide, eccentric gleam in her eye. She looked a little more alive than a few moments ago, tears no longer lingering in her eyes. He just didn't know why.

"What?"

She hesitated, apparently thinking over whatever was bugging her, chewing on her lip. He'd just about given up on her saying anything when she cleared her throat, looking into his eyes for the first time.

"Have you ever helped someone get revenge before?"

 **A/n:** I'm super sorry the update is a little late, I got distracted reading stories instead of writing. Let me know what you think! Up next we see Draco's reaction and the other students…


	4. Chapter 4

Hermione rolled her shoulders back, trying to look as confident as she needed to. The road to revenge would not be an easy one, and she wouldn't get much done if her nerves got the best of her.

She needed to be convincing after all.

She'd done her best to avoid her friends all morning. They hadn't talked since Saturday, and she had no idea how much they were actually believing Ron's lies. For all she knew at this point they hated her. She didn't think she could stomach a conversation with them this morning.

After all, they would distract her. Better to get everything out in the open and deal with the consequences later.

Hermione took a deep breath, continuing through the halls. She just wanted to get to class and sit down. Even if people kept shooting her looks there, at least they were limited to the students in class.

She could already feel a headache coming on, her irritation threatening to win out her rationality. If she lost her cool this would become an argument and not a retaliation.

And she could not allow Ron to make her look like any more of a fool.

Entering class she sat down, avoiding her usual seat. Some of her classmates shot her a surprised look but didn't say anything, gossiping among themselves. She pulled out her books, doing her absolute best to ignore every one of them.

Just before class began she heard a surge of students coming in, Ron's voice carrying above the others. He was joking with Seamus again, talking about something she couldn't even relate to.

That headache was getting worse as time went on.

She focused on the front of the room, drowning out his voice as much as possible. The last thing she wanted was to speak to him before class started.

Where the hell was he?

"Potter."

"Malfoy."

Hermione glanced over her shoulder, noticing the torn expression on Harry's face. He was looking between herself and Ron on opposite sides of the room, undecided on who he would sit with. Malfoy was just passing him, making the decision before Harry could.

"I sure hope Weasley hasn't been drinking this morning," he muttered, dropping his bag down on the desk beside her. Harry's expression blanched, eyes widening to a stupid size as he stared at her. She couldn't look away from his flabbergasted expression.

"Yeah," she replied, letting her gaze drop. "Me too."

Parkinson and Zabini made the decision for Harry, sitting down in the only two seats left on that side of the room. Pansy shot her a glare but moved on, smirking at the dark skinned Italian beside her.

Harry, looking somewhere between rejected and confused, wandered almost blindly over to sit in front of Ron, who'd gone silent. In fact, Hermione noted that half the room was quiet now, staring at the pair.

Well, at least she got their attention.

The teacher walked in a moment later, effectively silencing the class. Hermione could feel eyes all over her as she started taking notes, Ron's gaze practically burning a hole into her back. She didn't need to turn around and see him, she could feel his anger and jealously seeping into the room.

She grinned, stealing a look at Malfoy. He didn't appear to be paying attention to the teacher, but she could see the coy smile playing at his lips. Ron expected her to be devastated that he dumped her, yet now she was sitting beside someone that completely sided with her on Saturday.

It was very satisfying. It got even better when she noticed Lavender, the girl in question, still had yet to show herself with Ron. It was totally possible his little rumor backfired in his face, and that was more satisfying than anything else that had happened so far.

She could cause a spectacle without having to say a word to anyone. She hadn't inferred that they were dating (that would really amplify Ron's rumor) but it didn't matter. The class was reeling, coming to conclusions all on their own.

Just because they were the head students didn't mean then ever actually spent time together.

Malfoy couldn't keep the smirk off his face. They agreed yesterday this would cause a scene, but she didn't really think he'd find it so funny.

" _Are you proposing we date?" he asked, actually laughing at the idea. He was laughing so hard at this point she didn't know if he'd be able to stay on the sofa. He'd already finished his drink, slamming the glass down on the table. "Who the hell is going to believe that?"_

" _That's not exactly what I meant," she sighed, watching him continue to giggle. "That might make Ron angry but it won't work on anyone else. I can't just flippantly jump into another relationship, Malfoy. It took me years to start dating Ron…"_

 _He sobered a little, eyeing the girl in front of him. Clearly, even if she didn't want to admit it, she was broken by Weasley's clipped words._

 _She shook her head, eyes dancing to life again. "However, you could help me make Ron jealous. He's got this ridiculous issue with wanting things he can't have. I think it's something he got from having so many siblings. Right now he doesn't want me because… well, he has a bunch of reasons for that. However, he hates you more than most people I know."_

" _Thanks, Granger."_

" _The_ point _is he doesn't like you. Apparently, he doesn't like me much either. I'm not saying we start pretend dating tomorrow. That won't solve anything. But if we played it up like a blossoming real relationship it could work, and it would affect Ron. I won't let him get away with being such an arse."_

" _And you really think people will buy that? We've spent seven years hating each other."_

" _I don't know," Hermione admitted, rubbing the back of her head. "But you already know he's lying; you're literally the one person I don't have to convince about the break up. If I ask anyone else to help me get back at them, I have to explain why and defend myself for something I never did. At least you know why we broke up."_

 _He still looked unconvinced, waiting for a better argument. She saw the plan, but not how it would come to be. Dating him might make Weasley jealous, but it just didn't make sense._

 _It was absolutely ridiculous._

" _What exactly am I going to get out of this?" he asked instead, changing the direction of their chat. "Do you have any idea how much shite I will get for even being seen with you?"_

 _Hermione frowned, mulling over his words. "Well, wouldn't your friends find it funny if you were pranking Ron? I mean, getting back at him… Slytherin's like a good bout of revenge, right? I don't think you'd get harped on too badly."_

 _He scoffed. "As if you would let me tell them. Gloating about it won't do any good until I can actually say something."_

 _She nodded, letting the topic drop. Maybe revenge wouldn't work with Malfoy, not if he was going to constantly snark about everything under the sun._

 _Besides, he couldn't be any better of a boyfriend, pretend or not, than Ron._

" _How mad do you think it would make him anyway?" the blond continued, musing to himself. He looked entertained again, staring off into the room. "I mean, he's already livid about most things. Do you think I can turn him the same color as his hair?"_

 _Hermione arched an eyebrow, studying him. "He's got a temper, he'll probably do more than turn red."_

 _Nodding, he rubbed his chin. "Hmm. Alright, I suppose I could help you out Granger, if for no other reason than to watch Weasley burn. Besides, it'll be hilarious to watch people freak out."_

Well, Hermione was certain someone would be burning after this, she just hoped it wasn't her. Glancing the other way she noticed Harry staring at her across the walkway, his eyes practically bugging out of his head as he watched them together.

It was going to be a long day.

By the time class let out she knew she was in for it, standing a little too quickly from her desk. She didn't really want to talk to Ron, knowing the blowout was coming. She just wanted to make him feel as unimportant as she did, not start a war.

She turned to leave the classroom, purposefully not looking anywhere near Ron's direction. She tried to bolt out of the room but stopped short, gentle fingers ghosting over her wrist.

Her eyes nearly fell out of her skull.

"If you look nervous it's not believable," he reminded, standing from his seat as well. She stayed rooted in place, not moving again until he had his bag slung over his shoulder. They moved together, Hermione almost rigid as they left the classroom.

She didn't expect to be so nervous, much less for him to actually touch her. It was a small gesture, but with so many eyes on them she knew it would raise questions.

"Don't you think you're being slightly obvious?" she breathed once they were outside the door. "Everyone saw that."

"I thought that was the point."

"Yes – well, technically it just has to get under Ron's skin-"

"Then what better way to do that then cause rumors?" he asked, glancing at her. He looked slightly annoyed, like she was already making things complicated. Maybe she was. They only made it a couple more steps down the hallway before chaos broke out, Hermione surprised Ron could last the entire class without saying something.

"Hermione!"

Sighing, she stopped walking and glanced over her shoulder, noticing Ron approaching at an alarming rate. She opened her mouth to respond, cut off when he reached out and yanked her arm forward. Behind him, she could see Harry stop in surprise.

"What the hell are you doing?" he snapped, glaring between the pair. "We break up Saturday and you're already sleeping with Malfoy?"

She gulped, watching the same anger she'd become accustomed to dance through his eyes. Malfoy shifted beside her, but she hoped no one would intervene. Part of her plan involved standing up to Ron herself before showing him what he lost.

" _If you let Weasley push you around tomorrow he's going to think he always can. You're not going to just rely on our little charade to get him off your back, are you? It will hurt more coming from you than from someone else standing up for you."_

Glancing at Malfoy, she recalled his surprisingly supportive words from the night before. Now he just looked more annoyed than before, watching her carefully to see if she would do something herself.

"Actually Ron," she snapped, cutting of whatever he was going to say next, "I believe you were telling people I dumped you. I don't think I've heard anything yet about this being mutual. If I want to talk to someone who doesn't lie about me, I think I have that right."

She shook off his hand, ignoring the surprise in his face. "Now if you excuse me, I'm going to be late for class. Maybe you should go find Lavender, she loves to coddle you." She shook out her arm, ignoring all her friends standing behind him. She didn't owe them a public solution, not when they refused to seek her out. "Draco?"

It was like a sheet of ice fell over the hallway, all sound disappearing. Even Malfoy's aloof friends looked stunned by her choice of words, the blond himself frowning. She looked Ron over once, smiled widely, and turned briskly on her heel to grab Malfoy's arm and loop it through her own.

"You probably shouldn't stand there all day," she continued, her confidence spiking a hair. "You're going to be late too."

With that she smiled satisfyingly at Ron, turning her back on him as she dragged Malfoy away. He kept up with her pace, managing to still look somewhat composed despite her little charade.

As soon as they rounded the corner, he squeezed her arm with his, continuing to walk but no longer holding the aloof expression. "Why did you call me Draco?"

"I had to sell it," she defended, feeling her cheeks coloring. There were less people in this hallway, and she could at least talk here. She was feeling giddy again, actually happy she said something back to him. "Did you see the look on Ron's face? He was livid!"

"Well, he did turn redder than his hair," Malfoy agreed, shaking off her arm. She let him, clasping her hands together. She felt much better than she did at the start of the day.

At least Ron knew she wasn't going to take his actions sitting down.

"What are you going to tell your friends?" he continued, glancing at her as they walked. "You aren't going to get away with using my first name without having some sort of answer."

"I'm more worried about talking to them first," she admitted, looking back. People were following them to the next lesson, but she didn't see Harry or Ron anywhere. "I need to at least explain myself."

"And what are you going to say? I doubt Potter would allow you to get away with this without explaining, and definitely not after calling me by name. If you don't face him he'll be by the common room tonight, I guarantee it."

She shrugged, not yet ready to be weighed down by what was to come. "I know that, I still have to tell him the truth. Harry's my best friend. He deserves to know what Ron really did."

 **A/n:** Short and sweet, I had hoped to get this out on Sunday but that didn't happen. I was hoping to update twice a week but I guess once is all I can do right now. I try to make the chapters anywhere between 2k-3k words so it's a little easier to update quicker, but we will see.

Now that it's April I feel I need to make an update on my stories so everyone knows what's going on. In October I will be getting married, so the wedding planning is well underway now! The closer we get to the big day, unfortunately the slower updates will become for a while but they will still happen, trust me there.

It's crazy to think I can officially tell my readers I'm getting married. When I first started on the site 9 years ago, I was barely old enough to use it and now I'm getting hitched! Thanks to everyone that's ready along, and don't forget to review!


	5. Chapter 5

Hermione would never, ever, admit she was enjoying Malfoy's company today. Usually they avoided each other during class, but for each lesson today they happened to share their studies. Sitting next to him started more than enough gossip, and after her little show this morning people were starting to believe there were gaping holes in Ron's story.

So far so good. Maybe they wouldn't have to keep up the show for too long.

Sitting in their last lesson for the day she mulled over the blond beside her. He really wasn't saying much aside from that morning, and most of the time they sat silently. Maybe that was better, she didn't exactly have an explanation for why she used his name earlier.

It wasn't exactly supposed to happen that way. She wanted to get under Ron's skin, and what better way than using his enemy's name? It definitely drove the point home, but now she didn't know what to say to her blond dorm mate. He hadn't said anything else about it, but she was wondering how long he'd stay silent before poking fun at her again.

When class finally let out for the day she looked around the room, somewhat disappointed. Harry was back in class now, but Ron hadn't been around since the first lesson. The whole charade was for him after all, so it kind of irked her that he couldn't be bothered to hang around and watch.

Oh well. It was only day one. She had plenty of time to get Ron back for being such a despicable git.

"I'm eating in the room tonight," Malfoy muttered, catching her attention as they left the room. "As fun as it is ruffling everyone's feathers it's a bit irksome too. I don't think I can handle any more questions tonight. You won't need me for dinner, will you?"

Shrugging, she wondered if she even needed to go. If neither of them showed it might actually drive home her point more. They didn't have the little kitchenette in the room for nothing. Besides, the last thing she needed was to be harassed by everyone at dinner. She avoided lunch in the Great Hall for that exact reason.

Before she could reply their path was cut off, a pretty, tall Slytherin girl blocking the way. Hermione tried to keep from scowling but it was hard, glaring into the eyes of Parkinson.

"What are you two up to exactly?" she asked, glancing between the pair. Hermione felt someone slip in beside her and glanced over, noting Zabini to her left and Nott finishing out the circle on Malfoy's other side.

"I'm surprised you waited the entire day to ask," Malfoy muttered, a smirk pulling at his lips. "With how damn nosy you three are I figured I'd get shit for this before the first class ended."

"Well, we did notice you two together then," Zabini replied, smiling at the pair. "And we even had every intention of questioning you then. But Weasley made a scene and you two basically disappeared after that. We just had to catch you before you could disappear off _alone_ again."

"It's not like that," Hermione snapped, glancing at the three Slytherin's. "We've just been hanging out a little more."

"Mhmm," Pansy hummed, looking unconvinced. Just like her counterparts, she was smirking. "Draco doesn't just _hang out_ with anyone, and we would certainly know. Something else is going on here, and we have a running theory."

Theo leaned in closer to the circle, giving Hermione a toothy smile. "You aren't perhaps trying to get a rise out of Weasel, are you?"

She blushed, wondering if her plan really was that transparent. "H-how did you guess?"

"Please," Pansy gushed, clasping her hands together, "it's a little obvious that something's going on. I bet that ex of yours knows you two are scheming. Why else would you suddenly be on decent terms?"

"Well-"

"We aren't saying it's the worst idea you could've had," Blaise interrupted, holding up a hand. "Everyone's got a theory going anyway. We're just assuming ours is the closest. We do know Draco fairly well. So if you are using him to make Weasley jealous, what exactly does he get?"

"The satisfaction of watching Weasley loose his fucking mind," Draco replied, smirking. "Seems to be working so far too. I'll give the prick a week before he cracks."

"You really think he'll last that long?" Theo asked, looking puzzled.

Hermione could feel her patience slipping, the nerves inside her jumping around as the four people before her talked too flippantly about her plan. She didn't ever really intend to be overly sneaky with her plans, she didn't need to if Ron was her target. Still, she didn't know what to do with all these assumptions.

Other people's ideas about her relations with Malfoy weren't a concern. They could believe whatever they wanted so long as she achieved the end goal. Still, she didn't think she'd get literally surrounded by Malfoy's gossip-loving friends.

And why did he have to go confirming things?

"Maybe we can talk about this later?" she asked, cutting off whatever Blaise was in the middle of saying. "I actually don't want to talk about the _wonderful_ day I've been having."

She stepped back from the circle, finally detaching herself from the Slytherins. She didn't wait to see if Malfoy was interested in following her, he'd done his job for the day and lit a fire within Ron that wouldn't be easily snuffed out. It was only Monday, so she had the whole week to look forward to drama.

"Hey, wait up!"

Hermione suppressed a sigh, turning to wait up for Harry. He looked somewhat flabbergasted, passing the group of Slytherins with ease. She assumed he was already gone to the Great Hall since class ended several minutes ago, but apparently he was waiting. "Oh, hi Harry."

"You don't have to sound so thrilled," he bristled, crossing his arms. For a moment he looked angry before the expression slid off his face, and he sighed. "Hermione, what are you doing?"

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Bullshit, don't play stupid with me. You're much too bright for that. I want to know what's going on with you and Malfoy."

She lifted one shoulder in a half shrug, not sure what Harry expected her to tell him. "Nothing, really. It's not like I suddenly started dating him or anything. But we do share a dorm, and I was kind of loud when I came back Saturday night so he knows what happened."

"What did happen?" Harry asked, folding his arms. "Ron was scant with the details, all he wanted to do was complain really. I have a hard time believing the story he told everyone."

"Well at least you still have your common sense," she grumbled, focusing somewhere besides Harry. Behind him Malfoy was still chatting with his friends, but she noticed his eyes seemed to be solely focused on her. "I don't need to confirm or deny what Ron said Harry. You're one of my best friends, you should be able to tell the truth."

Harry looked uncomfortable for a moment, rubbing his head awkwardly. "I really don't think you two slept together. You wouldn't rush into something like that, and I know for a fact that you wouldn't just dump him. But nothing really makes sense. Why would he bother lying, even if you two did clearly end things? I just don't get it."

"Neither do I. It's good to know that you at least trust what I have to say Harry."

"But I'm not choosing sides either," he continued, sweeping his hands out in front of him. "I told Ron the same thing. I don't know what happened exactly, but it's something only the two of you can work out. I don't condone what he's saying about you, but I don't know if using Malfoy as a scapegoat is a good idea either. Fighting fire with fire will only get someone hurt in the end."

"He started it when he lied," she snapped, hands flying to her hips. "I can't take it sitting down Harry. You know he's taken advantage of me before, and I won't let him one up me this time. Ron deserves everything that's coming to him."

Harry bit his lip, hesitating before he spoke again. "I don't really know what's going on, but he's been harping about Lavender too. She hasn't talked to him since yesterday. I don't know what's going on there, but I hope that she isn't part of the reasons you two called it quits."

Her eye twitched, apparently giving Harry a hint that he was right. He held up his hands again, looking towards the ceiling. "If he was cheating on you, then I really have a problem with what he's doing. But right now I'm trying to stay out of it until Ginny calms down. She's been having a fit since Saturday. I don't honestly know if she will take your side, even if Ron is in the wrong. She's fiercly loyal to family you know."

Despite herself, Hermione felt her lips pulling lightly into a smile. "Yeah, I know."

"Good," Harry replied with a nod, glancing back at the group behind them. Malfoy had detached himself and was headed their way. "Look, I know I can't tell you what to do, but please be careful with ferret boy, okay? It's hard to know with him when he's got an ulterior motive."

Hermione watched him go, her heart twisting around inside her chest as she debated how to read Harry. Usually he was straightforward almost immediately about how he felt about something, and she was a little disappointed that he didn't side with her right away.

Disappointed, but not surprised. She had enough experience knowing it's hard to pick a side between friends.

"Well, at least Potter isn't as big of a douche as the Weasel is," Malfoy said, stopping beside her.

"You were listening?"

"Well, you two weren't exactly using your whispering voices, and this hallway is pretty empty."

She frowned, turning away from the blond. "Oh, shut it."

* * *

The next three days passed without much occurring. Ron shot her glares throughout class, and Malfoy continued to sit next to her in the lessons that they shared. She only had a single class alone with Ron, and he didn't even bother her until Thursday.

She actually had her bag sitting on the chair itself since the class wasn't completely full to avoid this exact issue. Instead of acknowledging that she didn't want anyone else sitting by her Ron simply ignored it, tossing her bag on the floor between their chairs as he sat down.

Hermione stood, ready to find a new desk. She couldn't deal with his attitude, and it was the last lesson of the day. Couldn't he just shove off?

"Sit with me," he urged, grasping the strap of her bag. "We should talk."

"Lessons aren't for talking," she snapped, pulling her bag free. "And I have no desire to talk to you Ron. I've said everything I need to say. Sit alone; I'm not going to let you copy my work anyway."

She didn't wait for a response, sliding in beside Neville just before class started. He gave her a swift nod and smile and left her alone. At least she wouldn't be forced to sit through an entire lesson with Ron.

Unfortunately, he was just as insistent when the class ended, barring her exit from the classroom until she agreed to speak with him in the very crowded hallway.

She refused to speak with him in the empty classroom.

"What do you want exactly?" she chirped, crossing her arms. "I don't have all day."

Ron, looking momentarily stumped, didn't look at her for several seconds. "You need to stay away from Malfoy."

" _No_ , I need to stay away from you. He's been nothing but nice to me this year, something I certainly can't say about you."

He scowled, but didn't let it go. "I'm serious. He's hanging around you too much, and I know sometimes he touches you-"

"Oh, that's enough Ron," she sighed, thinking of the brief instances Malfoy touched her in class. Usually it was just a passing movement, his fingers brushing across her back or wrists, elegant digits barely ghosting across the skin. "Maybe you've forgotten, but you don't get to tell me who I do and don't hang out with. And why do you care if he's touching me? It's none of _your_ business anymore what I do."

"Hermione-"

"-I was looking for you," Malfoy interrupted, stopping whatever the ginger intended to say. Hermione glanced up at the blond, noting the small crowd surround them. Apparently they were drawing a crowd. "We were supposed to meet up at the end of the hall."

"I got held up," she replied, giving Ron a pointed look. "Sorry about that, come on."

She didn't bother correcting Malfoy that they weren't supposed to meet up at all, much less that she was surprised he was looking for her. She didn't think they'd see each other again until after dinner.

"I'm not done yet," Ron snapped, stepping in the way. "You're not taking her away from me!"

Malfoy smirked, taking the opportunity while it was open. He draped one arm across her shoulders, her body barely tensing at the action. He pulled her aside, stepping around the man like he wasn't even there.

"Too late, Weasley. I believe I already have."

 **A/n:** So I think at the end of the last chapter I said I'd update weekly. *shrugs sheepishly* I got a new job and it's sort of ruining my time management. Please know the story is not abandoned, just a little slower.

As always, let me know your thoughts!


	6. Chapter 6

A week passed and Ron didn't cause her any trouble. Hermione finally found some peace within herself, thankful that Ron seemed to be letting things simmer for the time being. She still requested for Malfoy to remain nearby, never quite certain when her ex would strike. After all, he wasn't one to just let things go.

She got used to Malfoy's company in class, as strange as it was. She'd never quite gotten a response to his snide comment the week before, and Ron nearly went off on him for saying something so bold.

" _Why would you tell him he's lost me?" she snapped, turning on the blond the moment they entered the dorm rooms. He'd been silent the entire way, unable to hide the smirk stretching across his features. "Don't you think it's kind of bold?"_

" _I thought the point was to get under his skin," Malfoy replied, confused by her irritation. "Revenge isn't sweet Granger, you should know that. Getting back at someone involves backbone and the will to stick it to them. You have to sell what we're faking. We might not be prancing around like a couple, but you have to pretend like you're interested."_

Malfoy's advice worked too well. Over the past week she'd been sure to be a little closer to the head boy, purposefully sitting closer in class and making more body contact when they walked through the halls. It was subtle, but enough to draw the attention of their fellow classmates.

Hermione wasn't stupid. She heard the crass whispers in the hallways when she walked alone, but the little gossipy rumors didn't bother her. The only people trying to bad mouth her right now seemed to be the female population, jealous of her budding relationship with the Slytherin prince. She didn't mind, this worked out in her favor.

After all, they were just jealous rumors. Everyone knew there was no truth behind them, they were just mean words said to make the other girls feel better. Hermione didn't have an issue brushing them off, glad to actually have the attention shifted away from Ron's lies.

They were still circulating, some of the more angry females trying to say she slipped from one bed to another. No one seemed to be paying too much attention to them, but they were the only rumors that caused her worry. She didn't exactly need people thinking she was a harlot.

By the following Friday she was satisfied with her progress. Ron was already brooding from seeing her interact with Malfoy, so her plan was working a little too well. The next step would be to approach Malfoy about making their lie more… convincing.

She figured it would be awkward, but it needed to be done. He was the one always saying they needed to make their ruse more realistic, so what better way than to start acting like they really did like each other and… date?

She had her reservations though. Her relationship with Ron ended almost two weeks ago, but considering he was the only boyfriend she'd ever had she thought it'd look suspicious if she suddenly started dating Malfoy out of the blue. Immediately jumping into this fake relationship was not the answer.

Revenge wasn't there yet. But up playing Ron's jealously would be plenty satisfactory for now.

Friday she knew he'd be in the dorm, they arranged to spend the night in so people thought they were trying to see each other. Even though Malfoy's friends seemed to have guessed the truth she refused to let them just hang out in there. It wouldn't look real if they did that.

Sitting with him on the sofa now, she worried her lip for the third time. He hadn't exactly been ignoring her, but he was doing an excellent job focusing on the book in front of him and not looking at her eager and worried eyes.

Biting her lip for the third time as she worked up her determination he sighed, finally glancing up. He looked mildly amused as their eyes met, a smirk playing across his features.

"Got something to say, Granger?"

"Well if you'd quit ignoring me I might," she huffed, reaching across him to grab the book, place a marker within the pages, and cast it aside on the table. Usually when they were in the room they really didn't talk. Without Ron storming up drunk to bother them in the middle of the night there wasn't much to discuss, and honestly no one really knew if they were actually spending time together inside or not, so what was the point?

Her odd behavior seemed to clue him in, and he leaned back into the sofa with a quirked eyebrow. "Alright, you have my attention. What is it?"

Swallowing down her concerns that he'd think she was a nut, she straightened out and crossed her arms, trying to look as serious as she could. "I think it's time to start dating… soon."

Malfoy's eyebrows shot up, and his bemused expression turned into a laugh as he sat upright, clasping one hand to his head as he laughed. "Oh do you now? Well, you don't dance around the point!"

Hermione blushed, quickly dropping her arms. "You know what I mean! As of tomorrow it'll be two weeks since I broke up with Ron. We've been upholding this ruse so far but people are going to get uninterested if we don't actually do something, and I want to keep Ron on his toes."

Still chuckling, the blond sat up and eyed her, his lips still stuck in a constant smirk. "So are you asking me out then?"

"What? No! Everyone's going to think I'm a whore just like Ron said if we start dating out of nowhere! We have to build it up."

"I thought that's what we were doing."

She waved a hand, looking at the table. "No, we just needed to have people thinking we could finally stand each other. I think that's been covered, so phase one is complete."

"There are phases to this plan, Granger?"

"Of course there are phases!" she cried, looking at him like he was loony. "Phase one is more than successful. We've already partially covered phase two since you and Ron had your argument in the hallway. He'll be suspicious after that, and he was always paranoid that someone was going to swipe me out of his arms."

Malfoy snorted, rolling his eyes as he sank into the sofa once more. "He should've been. You are much too bright for that wanker."

Hermione paused, blushing. Was that an actual compliment from the git? "I-well, anyway, the point is it won't seem weird if we actually start hanging out you know… _outside_. We could study together or go down to the lake, or maybe even wander to Hogsmeade this weekend… we can go whenever since we are of age now you know."

"So, you want to go and do things that are like dates… without actually fake dating."

"People do that all the time before they get together!" she defended, crossing her arms. "Friends do this kind of stuff together too. Anything we do in the public eye will look good, and it'll really get under Ron's skin. Depending on how long it takes us to sell it that can determine when we should start fake-dating. And depending on the rumors will hint at who should ask who out."

His eyebrows shot up once more, studying the girl in front of him. She refused to drop her gaze, enjoying how surprised he seemed. "You've really put a lot of thought into this."

Hermione nodded, undeterred by the little he had to say. "I have to. I don't want Ron thinking he can just use me and toss me to the side when I won't give in. He's gotta pay, and watching him crumble when he realizes that he gave up the best girlfriend he was ever going to get is the most satisfying sort of revenge I can get."

Malfoy blinked, looking surprised. "A little sinister, don't you think?"

"You don't even know," she muttered, glancing away. She still hadn't told Malfoy exactly what happened for her and Ron to break up, and she had no intention of doing so. It was more than him just forgetting her name, it was also him trying to continue going when she said no, when he raised his hand to her… everything.

But they were pretending, and no matter how she looked at the situation Malfoy was only helping out to watch her friend suffer. He wasn't necessarily doing this for her benefit, and she didn't feel inclined on sharing her experiences with him.

After all, it wasn't really his problem. She doubted Ron would try anything else again.

He was studying her now, his piercing gaze practically cutting through her thoughts. He tried prying more earlier in the week, but so far it hadn't worked. She just didn't want to think about it because she wasn't sure if the memories would infuriate her or cause her to cry.

Shaking her head, she tried to smile. "Well, it's still early if you want to wander around a little together. We could go walk around the grounds for a bit before it gets too dark. Then we will have to put on less of a show later during the weekend."

He still looked a little unconvinced, picking up on her sudden mood change. Getting back at Ron still seemed like a wonderful idea, but the elation was dulled when she recalled what led her to this.

Standing from the sofa she extended a hand, forcing a real smile this time. "Come on then, before it gets cold."

* * *

Draco expected the walk to be uneventful, and it really was. Only some of the upper class students were still milling around the grounds, and they got more than enough stares when he reached out and held her hand a few times during their stroll.

It was more than satisfying to watch how gulliable people could be. Sure, he and Granger did a marvelous job putting on a show for everyone, but it could be a little tiresome at times. He really didn't want to go out and deal with anyone tonight, but after talking to her earlier he realized they needed to.

She kept saying she wanted to make things more "serious" between them, but Draco wasn't certain that was true. Even when she brought up the topic something happened to still cause her to feel down, and he was certain that it was Weasel's fault.

After all, they just broke up at the beginning of the month. Most people took longer than that to recover from a strained and long relationship.

"Let's stop by the library," he said, grabbing her hand to pull her in the other direction. He felt her stiffen a little but didn't think anything of it. Come on, this was the damn library for crying out loud, he knew she loved this place. "I just need to pick up a book that's on hold for me for class."

"Oh, okay."

Draco glanced her way as they walked, watching the way her eyes dulled. Strange, he expected that their little detour would take at least twice as long since they were going to her favorite place, but it seemed to have the opposite effect. She didn't even look like she wanted to go.

"Hey, you alright?"

He'd gotten used to checking on her over the past week. Since they started pretending to like and care for one another he figured this was expected, but he'd started doing the same thing even when they didn't have an audience. Despite himself, he thought he was actually starting to care for her, even slightly.

"Yeah, I'm fine Malfoy. Don't worry about me."

Arching an eyebrow he swallowed his question, continuing on his way. Ever since she used his name last week, she'd avoided saying it since in front of people. When they were alone they could continue calling each other as they pleased, but he was always a little curious to see if she'd slip up again and say it when they were alone.

So far, no luck. He had an internal bet going with how long that would last, but he still gave her a couple weeks.

It didn't take them long to reach the library, and by then she was lagging several steps behind him. He brushed it off, assuming she was just tired from their walk after eating dinner.

He hadn't even gotten the door fully open yet when he heard her sharp intake of breath behind him, and he glanced over his shoulder to find Granger mildly panicking. Letting go of the handle Draco stepped away, eyes narrowing as he watched her.

"Granger? What's wrong?"

She was backing away from the library slowly, fear rising up in her eyes like she was absolutely terrified. He didn't understand, he thought this was one of her favorite places in the world, so why would it be scary?

Reaching towards her, he tried to read her expression as her eyes widened a moment, looking like she was ready to cry. Before he could touch her arm she darted away, feet carrying her quickly down the hallway and around the corner.

"Granger!"

He took off after her, wondering what in the world happened. He hadn't done anything to frighten her, and so far as he could tell there wasn't anyone else in the corridor who could've spooked her. Being afraid of her favorite place didn't make any sense, but he couldn't focus on that now.

He needed to find her.

She wasn't all that far away from him when he got around the corner, her steps more like stumbles as she moved towards one of the walls, her breathing loud and interrupted by hiccups as she tried to pull herself together.

Draco slowed down until he was directly behind her, letting the Gryffindor gather herself a moment before he did anything. Her shoulders were shaking, but he couldn't hear her crying now. She seemed to be getting herself together pretty quickly.

His eyes narrowed a moment, noting she was just as distressed as a few weeks ago when she stumbled into the common room. Maybe it had to do with-

He immediately dropped his angry expression when she turned, eyes red but nothing too bad. Her shoulders seemed stiffer than before, and he assumed she was forcing them to stop shaking. Her eyes briefly glanced around before meeting his.

"I… sorry, I didn't expect that."

His frown deepened as he studied her, the conflict clear on her face. "Granger, what the hell was that?"

She bit her lip, debating with herself a moment before responding, her arms shifting to wrap around herself. "Well I… well, the library is where we-where Ron, where we were going to…"

His expression softened a bit, knowing what she was trying to say. There was really only once instance she could be talking about. Against his better judgment he reached out, pulling the surprised girl into his arms with a small gasp, pressing her tight against him.

What a bastard.

His hands moved by themselves, one slipping around her back and the other moving to soothingly brush her hair. He rested his head atop hers, mind clouding with dangerous, dark thoughts of her ex. "I'm sorry, I didn't know. I still don't know, I guess. If all he was doing that night was cheating on you, then I guess I don't understand the panicking."

She stiffened in his hold, her arms still wrapped around her torso. "I… I don't want to talk about this yet."

"I figured not," he sighed, pulling her a little closer to him. "But you're going to need to, especially if you plan to fake-date me. I'm going to have to know what exactly happened, Granger."

 **A/n:** Let me know your thoughts. I'll try to get the next chapter out sooner than later.


	7. Chapter 7

Pushing their fake-romance was pretty easy. All Draco had to do was carry her damn bag when they went out the next day, and she'd smile and laugh with him before calling him an idiot. They spent time on the grounds even if he'd much rather be asleep, and it caught the attention of pretty much everyone who was out that Saturday.

When she was distracted reading in the sun, he tried to figure her out. She wanted all this revenge on the Weasel, but she wouldn't face him when they passed each other in the hallways or even explain what exactly her freak out episode was yesterday by the library. He could think of almost nothing that could scare the bookworm away from her natural habitat.

And the things he _could_ think up didn't sit well with him. She'd said Weasel said the wrong name in bed, not exactly the circumstances leading to that moment. Since she wasn't in the dorm two weeks ago when things went wrong he safely assumed she was somewhere else in the school at the time it happened.

But the library? That seemed a little too… weird.

"…and if we do it that way I'm sure Ron will be crying – Malfoy, are you even listening to me?"

Draco blinked, glancing at the girl beside him. They'd found a nice tree near the lake, with enough of a breeze he didn't feel like he was melting in his clothing. Propped back against the tree he could watch her flip through books and rattle on about whatever came to mind while being able to daydream himself.

Maybe he should've paid a little more attention.

"What?" he asked, stretching. They'd been out there at least an hour, and while he liked the sun he couldn't exactly nap there. This whole facade they were putting up really cut into his beauty sleep.

Granger rolled her eyes, not looking quite as annoyed as he expected. "I was giving you an outline of my newest plan. Did you hear anything I said?"

"Can't say I did."

She huffed, glaring off towards the lake. "Could you at least try and be interested?"

"Granger, I don't see why you're giving me a summary again. You know what you want to do, so _do it_. We're already outside, the entire bleeding school is eating up the charade, so move forward with your plan. Talking with me about it every single day will make no difference. Go on, go do something. Look, gingersnap is coming this way."

She momentarily blanched, shooting him a look as though to ask where the nickname _gingersnap_ came from, but held her tongue as Weasel approached. Draco assumed correctly that he wouldn't be able to refrain from coming to bother them.

Glancing out the corner of his eye, he noted Brown standing a few paces behind the ginger. Huh, he hadn't seen the bint hang around him for the past two weeks.

This was new.

"Hermione."

"Ronald."

Weasel's lip twitched, eyes roving around the pair. Draco made no move to shift towards Granger, deciding to let her handle this one all by herself. He helped her out last week when Weasel cornered her, this one was all hers. His interruptions constantly would only impede her ability to move on and stand up for herself, not benefit her.

"Could I speak to you alone for a moment?"

"You can speak to me right here," she bristled, sitting a little straighter. "After everything Ron, I don't know why you think I'd _ever_ agree to go off alone somewhere with you." Draco noticed Brown look annoyed behind him, irritated by the question.

You couldn't just bring your slut along and then ditch her for your ex. Poor strategy Weasel, poor strategy.

Huffing, the ginger glanced briefly over at Malfoy before he spoke. "I'm just trying to let you know Lavender and I are officially together now, so you can stop messing around. I know you just want to make me jealous."

"What would give you that idea Ron? I'd actually have to want you back and I've already learned my lesson, a mistake I won't make again. Hope you have fun with Lavender, maybe she'll like all the bruises you leave behind."

Draco smirked, momentarily proud of Granger for not giving into Weasley's little game. He decided to slip her comment about bruises into the back of his mind for later, something to ask another time. It wasn't really a surprise, he'd seen the marks already.

Lavender apparently thought this was the ideal time to jump in and moved right behind Weasel, slipping her hand into his. She kissed the side of his neck, shooting Granger a grin. "Don't worry love, anything Won-Won gives me is _desired and appreciated_."

Granger made a face, looking momentarily disgusted. "I don't think you really have to tell me that."

"She doesn't," Ron grumbled, pushing her off. "And we've talked about this! Don't call me _Won-Won-_ "

"But I thought we agreed you liked it!"

Despite himself, Draco couldn't stop the snort of laughter that escaped. Really, this is the girl Weasley cheated on Granger with? It was like throwing away a cake just to land on a knife. There was no way Brown could be considered a better option than Granger, at least she didn't have ridiculous nicknames going on.

Then again, he did just refer to the twat as a gingersnap.

Weasel wheeled around on him, Draco unable to stop himself from laughing a few more times before meeting his gaze. Seriously, did he expect to have a good relationship with a girl who made him sound like a toddler? "What are you laughing about, ferret boy?"

"Oh, oh nothing _Won-Won_." He snorted again, throwing his head back. "This is priceless."

Face turning red, Ron took a step towards the blond. Draco tilted his head forward again and sized him up, debating if he'd get in too much trouble if he engaged in a fight. Granger almost sort-of liked him now, so she might vouch for him against the headmistress if something happened. Besides, it would be oh-so-satisfying to see the git lose to him _again_.

And it might look heroic, like he was actually trying to defend Granger. That could help strengthen their lie, but he was worried it would make Weasley believe he could still attack her if he wasn't around. After all, she hadn't stuck up to him before.

"Listen Malfoy," he snarled, drawing his wand. "I don't know what you find so _funny_ , but this doesn't concern you. This is between me and Hermione. Why don't you and Lavender fuck off for a minute?"

Lavender's eyebrows shot up, picking up on Weasel's hostility. She immediately got in his face, hands clenched together. "Ron! I thought we came over her to rub our relationship in Granger's stupid face together. I will not _fuck off_ so you two can chat!"

"And I don't have anything to say to you," Granger agreed, standing up from her place on the ground. Weasel moved to grab her arm but Draco didn't react, watching her swat his hand away before he even got close to closing his fingers. "And I don't give a damn who you decide to date anymore. So long as it isn't me, it's not my problem."

Draco smirked, getting up as well when she moved over to stand beside him. He probably wouldn't get to hex Weasel now, but that was okay. Granger standing up for herself was so much better.

"Well isn't that a relief," he snapped, grabbing Lavender around the waist as though to rub in his point again. "Lavender was always there when you couldn't be. Dating her is a million times easier than sneaking around behind your back ever was. Do you really think I was going to wait around forever to deflower you? I'm not an idiot Hermione, I knew it'd take forever to get you to give in! I've had to look elsewhere for over a year, way before you ever agreed to date me."

He barely had time to register what Weasley said before Granger was moving, pulling away from him to drop her things and draw her wand, shoving the ginger hard enough to get him to stumble back a couple of feet and loose his grip on Brown.

Lavender looked just as surprised, rooted in place. Draco wasn't actually sure what she knew about the situation, but she didn't seem as in-the-know as she thought she was a couple moments ago. Deciding he had something else to discuss with Granger later, he focused on what she was doing just in case her overcharged emotions got the best of her.

Glancing around, he was grateful that although there was an audience no one was interfering and choosing to side with one or another. There were people who were both of their friends out there, and if people started defending Weasel she could lose her resolve to stand up to him.

"If I was so _frigid_ about everything then why did you ever ask me to date you?" she screamed, her voice echoing in the clearing. "If you were already sleeping with that skank then what did it matter if we dated? You knew there were certain things I would refuse to give you and you persisted anyways! If she gave you everything I didn't then why the hell did you bother with me?"

Weasel tried to stand his ground to no avail as Granger pursued him, backing him down the hill and towards the edge of the lake. Draco tensed a little, wondering if the git would actually try something. If he did he'd have more than enough reason to intervene, and he'd be lying to himself if he said the idea wasn't appealing.

"Because I still want you!" he seethed, unable to level his wand with hers as she jabbed him in the chest, forcing him backwards step by step. "I wouldn't have put so much damn effort into getting you if you didn't mean something to me."

"I mean nothing to you!" she screamed, nearly dropping her wand so she could push him. He stumbled back to the edge of the water, almost losing his footing. "If I ever meant anything to you then you would never have pushed me to have sex! You never would've let me get drunk and tried to have taken advantage of me when we were both well past our limits. You don't care for me Ron, you care for the person I symbolize to you. Well I'm not the same person you met as a first year and I _didn't_ want to sleep with you!"

"If you didn't keep your legs pressed together so tight maybe I'd have had a chance!" he seethed, dropping his voice. It didn't matter, and Draco acknowledged that as he looked around the clearing at the other students, many of whom had moved forward when Granger started screaming, their interest piqued. Everyone could hear what he was saying.

"So you never actually slept with me," she replied, her voice lower as well. Draco took a step forward, watching the pair closely. If she tried to push him into the water he could just as easily try to drag her in, and he couldn't let that happen.

"Of course I never did!" he cried, apparently not yet realizing what he was saying. "You're right, I'd _have_ to trick you to get you to open your legs! You won't do that for anyone, even-"

Granger cut him off, blasting him with a spell that send him flying back several feet into the dark waters. He disappeared for a few long moments, a blanket of silence falling over the clearing. No one said a word, even Brown who seemed to be resting on the balls of her feet, intent on rescuing Weasel the moment he surfaced.

Draco couldn't help but smirk. She didn't let him get under her skin again.

Weasely resurfaced after another moment, gasping and whipping his face of water. Miraculously he'd held onto his wand, and the blond couldn't help his disappointment that he wouldn't be forced to search the murky waters for it.

She leveled her wand at him, stance stiff as she glared at him from the bank. "Say it again Ron! I want everyone to know the truth. Tell them, did we really sleep together?"

He sputtered, glaring from his place in the water. "No, alright! No, I lied. You are way too much of a frigid _bitch_ to sleep with anyone!"

"That's not true," she replied, her tone much calmer than before. "I just didn't want to sleep with you, and I've never been more certain of a decision in my life. I would never want someone so faithless to have me." She took a step back from the edge, nodding her head like she was satisfied. "Thanks for being truthful Ron, even if I never should've had to push it out of you. Good luck getting back to the shore, I'd hurry before a giant squid finds you."

"You can't-"

"This is goodbye, Ron," she continued, voice almost soft in the dead silence around them. "Augamenti κύμα."

Draco's smirk widened as a wave of water shot out of her wand, forcing Ron further from the shore. She spun on her heel, ignoring the stunned looks of the people surrounding them as she moved back up the hill, eyes fixed on Draco.

He barely registered Brown panicking and running down the hill, drawing her own wand to try and bring her precious Won-Won back to shore. With a wave of his wand Draco collected their things, securing all of them in his grip as she reached him, wrapping one arm around her shoulders.

"Take me back to the dorm," she whispered, her voice lacking the fire it had moments ago.

"Of course," he agreed, steering her away from the crowd. People were already talking, and off in the distance he thought he saw Pansy and Blaise watching the whole thing. Pulling her a little closer he grinned, rubbing her shoulder. "I'm proud of you."

"Really? I'm pretty sure I just made a bigger mess."

"Hmm, yes and no. Don't worry about it right now, just be happy you stood up to gingersnap and got him to admit the truth."

"You can't seriously be considering that as a real nickname, can you?"

Grinning, he winked at her. "Why not? Seems like the perfect fit now."

She laughed, wrapping an arm around his waist. "You are unbelievable."

Gazing at her for a moment, he couldn't help the way his lips rose into a smile. "Yeah, you are too."

 **A/n:** I hope you liked this one. Hermione isn't done fighting her demons with Ron yet, so don't worry about this story wrapping up with a neat little bow anytime soon. I just didn't want her to wait for twenty chapters or something to finally snap and tell Ron off. This chapter really inspired me, so I'm hoping to have the next one up really soon!


	8. Chapter 8

Despite being worn-down from her confrontation with Ron, Hermione couldn't keep the skip out of her step as they headed back to the dorm. Arguing with Ron was always a taxing endeavor, but she had an entire school to face after their blowout and she didn't think she could handle anymore drama today.

Things worked better than she expected.

Most of the people in the clearing whispered as she and Malfoy left, but it wasn't the same gossipy, sinister whispers from before. In fact she received several friendly grins on her way back to the castle.

That lifted her spirits a little.

Halfway to the dorm he removed his arm, winking at her as they rounded a corner. "Don't act like you need my support. Stand on your own, Granger."

She smiled back, straightening out her posture. "Yeah, I guess you're right."

Malfoy nodded, thankfully not saying anything about the explosive argument. She didn't want to well. Ron spilled the truth, and that was all that mattered.

She bit her lip, thinking about how angry she'd been. She'd probably said a little _more_ than intended to such a large audience… she hadn't exactly wanted to share everything with them. Mentioning Ron trying to force her to do anything would probably backfire at some point, but she couldn't dwell on it. Glancing sideways at Malfoy, she wondered if he'd broach the topic.

Of course he would. He'd seen the marks before. She just hoped spilling that little tidbit of information didn't backfire later on.

"Oi, Hermione!" Harry called, drawing her attention. Shaking her head out of her thoughts she glanced up from the floor, realizing Malfoy had guided them almost the entire way to their dorm. Hopefully Harry hadn't chased them the entire way.

Glancing over her shoulder, she almost cringed. Harry she could handle, but he was towing Ginny along behind him, and her emotions were spent. She didn't want another argument right now.

"Hey," she replied, turning to face them. From the corner of her eye she noticed Malfoy nodding, barely sparing the pair a glance.

"I'll be in my room," he said, disappearing from her side as Harry and Ginny arrived. She couldn't exactly expect him to sit and wait with her during every discussion, but his company was nice.

"You really did go off with Malfoy," Ginny said, speaking first. "I thought Parvati was just spouting off crap when she said that."

Hermione's eyebrows shot up. "You… spoke to Parvati?"

"More like she spoke to us," Harry cut in. "She came roaring into the common room a couple minutes ago screaming about how you beat up Ron. Seamus followed her in and said you were actually _standing up_ to him?"

"He said you blasted him into the lake," Ginny huffed, hands shifting to her hips. "And was all that nonsense true? I mean, I know my brother can be a wanker but did he really lie about everything?"

"Yes," Hermione replied, forcing herself to be direct. If she left any doubt she might not convince Harry and Ginny that she was being truthful, and they hadn't seen the argument. "Ron wanted to gloat about dating Lavender and how much better she is than me, and I stood up to him. I figure I owe myself that much."

Ginny nodded slowly, looking like she was in a daze. "I know he was upset after the party a few weeks ago… but I really didn't want him lying about you. Ron can be difficult but to make you out to be a skank… you're nothing like Lavender."

Hermione chuckled, catching her friends jab. "I really figured you would be on Ron's side during this."

"Why?" she asked, crossing her arms. "Because he's my brother? I'm not an idiot, I know he isn't the brightest bloke when it comes to romance but I didn't think he'd be _impatient_ enough to cheat on you. Ugh, I will have words with that boy when he bothers to show his face!"

"Lavender might still be fishing him out of the lake. I blasted him pretty far in."

Harry smiled, nodding along. "I'm glad you stood up to him, Hermione. Ron needs his ego knocked down a peg or two. He's had a giant head ever since the war ended with all that hero nonsense. It really inflated him too much. He needs to remember he can't get away with whatever he wants. The rest of us weren't outdone by fame, he shouldn't be either."

Nodding, Hermione recalled the months before school began when Ron would want to do everything in the public eye. It made dating hard since she didn't want the media attention. He ate up the journalists and news reporters following him around, happy to be the center of attention wherever he went. She didn't feel the same about the constant intrusions, and maybe that should've been the first hint that things were going south.

Harry didn't even eat up the fame game that much, and he was the literal hero. Ron just let it get to his head too much.

"So, you guys aren't mad at me?" she asked, rubbing her head awkwardly. "I probably just created a bigger wedge between all of us than before."

Ginny waved a hand. "He'll get over it. Maybe once he realizes Lavender isn't the ideal girlfriend he'll really come to his senses. You know, I was on the fence about who to side with during all of this but after today I definitely don't need any convincing. Seriously, who does Ron even think he is? If he doesn't come to a realization soon _I'm_ going to have to beat him up."

"He might need it," she sighed, glancing towards the windows. They were too high up to hear if there was still commotion going on outside but she hoped Ron was back on land. When he was peeved he didn't exactly swim well.

"There isn't anything else you need to tell us, is there?" Harry asked, eyes darkening a hair. "Seamus told me something else before we dashed up here, but I want to hear it from you."

Ginny frowned, looking confused. "He did?"

"Well?" Harry continued, ignoring his girlfriend. "Come on Hermione, just be honest with me."

Inwardly cringing, Hermione was certain she knew what Harry was referencing. She didn't exactly enjoy talking about Ron's advances, but after practically blurting it out to a third of the school there was no hiding it. If Seamus bothered to pull Harry off to the side and tell him there was no denying it.

Speaking of, Seamus probably had some ideas brewing in his own mind too. He'd left them alone together in the corridor when Ron bruised her wrist, and while he didn't know that happened she imagined the idea didn't sit well with him if he decided to mention it to Harry.

"You know the reason we fought to begin with is because I wouldn't sleep with him," she replied, shrugging. "I've told him in the past that it wasn't an option. But we were drunk, and he had different ideas about my intentions for the night and tried anyway. I stopped him before he got very far, but still, he would've slept with me even if I was too drunk to know what was going on."

Ginny's eyes narrowed, hands clenching at her sides. "I knew that's why he liked Lavender! When he gets back to the common room I swear to Merlin-"

"We'll talk to him first," Harry reasoned, but Hermione couldn't miss the same dark tint in his eyes. "He has just as much of a right to try to explain himself. But was there anything else?"

Damn Seamus, she didn't know for sure which time he was referencing, but he hadn't been specific Hermione could assume he mentioned the night of the party. Perhaps not. "I tried to confront him the next day and we got into an argument in the corridor. He… grabbed my wrist and threw me into the wall while we were fighting, and I did manage to hex him during the dispute. It's nothing Harry, really. It's in the past now. We argued more than anything."

The pair shared a look, and she knew at once they didn't totally believe her lie. She left out the part about Ron's hateful words, and the fact that Malfoy had to help with her swollen wrist later. None of it was relevant. They knew what he did and would act accordingly.

Besides, it didn't matter if Ron insinuated having sex then too. He didn't have a chance and that was the point. He hadn't been stupid enough to try anything since then.

"Don't worry Hermione," Harry said, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder. "We'll talk to Ron and he will fess up again, it's the least he can do. I'm sorry we had any doubts but that public spectacle really seemed to set things in order."

"But what about Malfoy?" Ginny added, jumping in. "You two have been seeing a lot of each other. Is something going on there?"

For a moment, she didn't know what to say. If Ron confessed did she actually need revenge?

 _Yes_ , she did. He deserved to see what kind of girlfriend she could be with someone who actually cared. Dropping her plan now was silly. Malfoy hadn't asked to jump ship yet, so there was no reason to drop the ruse.

"I'm not sure yet," she answered honestly, dropping her gaze. She was truly embarrassed to not have a better answer, and the blush that dusted her cheeks worked in her favor as the pair watched.

"Just be careful," Ginny warned, tugging on the sleeve of Harry's robe. "He's nice now, but you don't know how long that will last."

"I suppose not."

"Come on Harry," she continued, pulling him away. "We need to talk to my brother."

Hermione watched the pair disappear down the hall, Harry glancing over his shoulder at her. With how much Ginny ignored her, she assumed she hadn't noticed her fake growing-affections with Malfoy.

Apparently she was wrong. If people she didn't usually see knew something was going on, then her plan was working.

* * *

Entering the common room, Hermione picked up on voices in Malfoy's room almost immediately. Apparently being at one end of the hall during her conversation had its downfalls. Their dorm wasn't at the end of a hallway, so anyone could come from the other direction and sneak in without her noticing.

And apparently, they had. She ignored the slight sadness she felt, having been looking forward to celebrating her little victory with the blond. After all, he kept pushing her to do something and she actually did it. It was time to rejoice.

But of course, Slytherin's always find a way to sneak in.

She didn't even have to get strangely close to his dorm to overhear. His door was slightly ajar and although she noticed their presence right away, so far it seemed she had gone unnoticed. Grabbing the nearest book she plopped down on the sofa, deciding a little bit of eavesdropping wasn't the worst thing she'd done all day.

Besides, Malfoy was strangely involved in her life now, there was no reason she couldn't know a snippet of his.

"…keeps asking about you," Parkinson was saying, her voice easily distinguishable. "It's gotten more and more _annoying_ in the last week. Really since you've become more attached to Granger – which by the way, that little stint at the lake earlier was _divine_. I've never seen the trio fight so much, and for Granger to actually stick it to him-"

"Pansy," Malfoy stressed, sounding irritated. Hermione wondered how long she'd been there chatting his ear off. If their confrontation almost two weeks ago taught her anything it was that Pansy can talk.

"Right. She's just going around bragging about that arranged marriage of yours-"

"I _told_ mother the deal was off-"

"Yes well she's not taking the news very well," Pansy huffed. "The Greengrass' don't have money to rely on anymore Draco. With their father dead and their mother trying to sell them off as soon as possible, it's a wonder Anastasia what would do anything to get her girls back in high standing."

"Well can't she do it some other way?" he grumbled. "Mother already sent me an owl earlier this week about it, prompting me to put forth a proposal. I can't exactly tell her I'm siding with Granger for the next couple weeks while she seeks revenge, can I?"

"That might be in poor taste."

"Exactly. So go distract Astoria for the next few weeks-"

"-few _weeks-_ "

"Or until she realizes this is a bullshit idea," he snapped, cutting off whatever Pansy was about to say. "Whichever happens first."

"You know that's not going to work. Astoria's been fantasizing about marrying you for three years, war be damned."

"Seriously, that long? Now I know you're lying. She's slept with more than enough people since then-"

"-in the last year," Pansy chirped. "Just within the last year really. The point is Draco, she might cause you're plan trouble."

"It's mostly Granger's plan."

"Either way, if she starts trying to flirt with you and scream about your _marriage_ it will put a damper on the whole charade, and I'm really enjoying watching the show."

"Of course you're only telling me this for the entertainment value."

"And for your sake," she continued, her voice sobering up. "Astoria hasn't been the same since her dad died. She's a little unhinged. Whatever you do, you can't push her too far even if she causes disaster. She has a breaking point."

"Now I'm not sure if you're trying to help me or hinder me."

"Just think about what I said. One way or another its going to come to light that you two are technically engaged, and you'd better be prepared for the chaos it brings."

Hermione jumped a little at the sound of footsteps, almost dropping the book in her hands as she flipped to a random page. Pansy sauntered out a moment later, not looking half as snide as usual. She cast her a look as she passed, an amused smirk pulling at her lips.

"If you must eavesdrop, at least try a better cover. There's no way you're reading about Quidditch."

Slamming the book shut, Hermione sent a half-hearted glare in her direction as Pansy left laughing. The door thudded in her wake, momentarily dulling the sound of Malfoy's footsteps.

"I'm pretty sure she kept talking so you could hear the whole story."

Glancing over her shoulder, she couldn't help but roll her eyes. "So everyone knew I was here?"

"You didn't exactly sneak in," he reminded, sitting down beside her. The bemused grin from earlier was gone, replaced by a creased brow and lingering frown. "Though I suppose it saves me the trouble of explaining."

Nodding she set the book aside, clasping her hands in her lap. "So, you have a fiancé, huh?"

"Well, an ex-fiancé, sort of," he grumbled, rolling his eyes. "I don't even know if you can call it that. Our parents set it up as a hopeful insurance policy if we both survived the war. I didn't think Astoria would actually want to go through with it. It's not like we ever talk."

"Except now she's interested because of the money," Hermione reasoned.

"Yes, and I actually almost have a fake-girlfriend for once," he replied, scoffing. "I wonder if the bint assumed I just hated everyone and would never actually have a real relationship to worry about. Honestly, even though it is fake, the nerve of some people."

Hermione laughed despite the heaviness of his tone, shooting him a smile when he looked confused. "Well Malfoy, just add it to the list. One more problem isn't so bad. I'm sure we can find a way to turn my jealous-revenge streak into an engagement break-up for you."

 **A/n:** So… I think at the end of the last chapter I said I would start trying to update sooner (and I lied). Anyway, aside from the wedding in October I don't have any huge commitments between now and then, so I will try to see about updating more often but this time I won't promise anything. Until next time!


	9. Chapter 9

"Just act natural."

She shot him a glare over her shoulder, eyes seeming to light up into a brilliant blaze. "What exactly did you think I was going to do? Run up to Astoria and ask her how getting a ring is going?"

Draco scowled, leaning further back in the desk chair. Sunday passed without a hitch, but now with Monday classes rolling around he was starting to worry about seeing Astoria. She hadn't bothered him too much as of late, probably because she had plenty of _other_ suitors to entertain her up to this point. But none of her playthings were open to an engagement, so she was right back to bothering him again.

Did she somehow just not notice the past month of fake relationship?

Pinching the bridge of his nose, he guessed the biggest benefit here was they only had Weasel worry about in class. Astoria was a year below and had a different schedule. There would be no extra drama at least during lessons, but he shuddered to think what kind of she-devil she would be in the hallways trying to latch onto his arm.

It was like sixth year all over again. Aside from losing his fucking mind, he'd also had some inane bimbo constantly chirping in his ear about their long-awaited engagement. Some things were just too much.

Glancing around the room, he noted Weasley brooding on the other side. Lavender was still clipped to his hip as before, but she seemed a lot less excited about it than she was on Saturday. Granger didn't say anything about Potter finding out anything about Weasley's great plan, so he assumed the git's intentions were just as shallow as they originally predicted.

Tapping his fingers against the desk, he considered their situation. This ruse went on for over a month now, and as Pansy so _kindly_ pointed out this past weekend their ploy was growing less and less convincing.

" _You know, you do have a reputation. No one's seen you snog Granger's face off this entire time! People are starting to talk. Her little spectacle at the lake was brilliant, but you're starting to come off as more friends than anything else."_

" _And how exactly does one just go up to their fake-girlfriend and tell her the only way to keep this going is to make out in front of everyone? She didn't even do that with Weasel."_

 _Pansy smirked, an infuriating action that would've caused Draco to kick her out if he didn't somewhat need her insight. "I have no idea. That sounds like something to discuss with your fake-girlfriend."_

" _Pansy-"_

" _But I'd do it soon. Either Weasley or Astoria will grow restless if you don't sell the story to everyone. You probably don't_ have _to start by making out in the halls, but a kiss on the lips here and there wouldn't kill you. I'm sure you've both done worse."_

" _Why do I get the feeling you're enjoying this?"_

 _Grinning, she threw her hands up innocently. "And why would you say that?"_

And so far, he had failed to mention it to Granger. Kissing wasn't all that big of a deal to him, but this was her original plan and in all the complex scenarios she'd laid out to date none of their public displays involved kissing. He wasn't sure if he should be insulted that the idea hadn't crossed her mind or curious why she simply didn't want to.

Either way, that had to change. Thank Merlin class was almost over and they could go back to their dorm as planned. He didn't think this conversation would go all that well.

"Draco?"

He looked up at her voice, completely oblivious to the fact that class ended. They could at least use one another's first name in public now without making a face. It was progress, but to get Astoria to take a hike he really needed _a lot_ more physical evidence.

He just wasn't totally sure if Granger would smack him for it.

"Right," he grunted, shoving his things into his bag. He hadn't taken one note the entire lesson, and he hoped that didn't come back to bite him in the arse later. Leaving the classroom he placed an arm over her shoulders, making sure to keep some sort of physical contact with her.

He just didn't think it was convincing enough.

"Something on your mind today?" she asked, dragging him out of his thoughts as he walked. She'd taken the news that there was another layer to this scheme particularly well, and thus far nothing had changed between them.

"You could say that," he agreed, turning the next corner with her. "I think we need to talk tonight."

Glancing up at him curiously, her brows drew together. "What?"

"Well-"

"Oh, Drakey!"

 _Well fucking hell._

The pair was forced to stop as Astoria bounded up behind them, grabbing Draco's arm and removing it from Granger's neck. The girl attempted to drape it across her own shoulders before he snapped his arm back, glaring at her. In turn she pouted, crossing her arms.

"That's _not_ how you treat your fiancé!"

"We're not engaged."

"Well according to our parents-"

"I already told mother the engagement is off-"

"-it's not even technically an engagement until _someone_ proposes," she continued, twirling her hair with a finger. "And I'm still waiting."

Draco huffed, already predicting the flaws in his plan. "You're going to be waiting forever then. We're not getting married Astoria, I don't know why you've got it in your head again that we will."

"Is it because of her?" Astoria snapped, eyes zipping to the brunette. "Come on Draco, let's be serious. She's nothing."

"I wouldn't go that far," Granger interrupted, surprising him. With Weasley she didn't exactly speak up right away, and getting in his face took a few days. Apparently if it wasn't her problem she had no issue speaking up about it. Draco forced a smirk down, recalling how outspoken she was before Weasley decided to try and ruin things. "I remember being fairly important during and after the war, I even made the tabloids. I still could if I didn't think the media constantly altered what was said. I don't recall seeing your name anywhere though."

If possible, Astoria's face was redder than Weasley's hair. This time Draco couldn't suppress the smirk that lit up his face. He might've helped her when she couldn't get the point through to Weasley, but it looked like she was returning the favor now.

"Why you-"

"Actually," Hermione interrupted, grinning as she took his hand, "I do recall seeing your name a handful of times. First after your father passed, and again when your mother had that little scandal with trying to marry her daughters off to any man."

Well, he should've assumed Greengrass wouldn't take that well.

One moment he was holding Granger's hand, the next the two females were facing off, wands at the ready.

It happened a lot quicker than any confrontation between him and the Weasel. Draco was almost insulted that she somehow beat him to the punch.

He'd have to do something about that later.

"Don't talk about my family," Astoria hissed, leveling her want. "You know _nothing_ about being a pureblood. The fact that Draco is soiling himself with you is laughable! We need to be keeping the remaining purebloods away from scum like you."

"I don't want to know what it's like being a pureblood," she snapped back, her grip not nearly as tight on her wand. "Your just people, same as everyone else. Your suffering is no different from everyone nowadays. Don't make this into a pity party for yourself. I thought you were here trying to convince _my_ boyfriend that you're supposed to be dating."

Draco tensed, watching Astoria prepare to cast her spell. Whatever she intended on doing was short lived, a pale hand coming to rest firmly on her slim shoulder.

"Give it a rest Tori," Pansy remarked, spinning her around. "You seriously can't afford another detention."

"But-"

Without giving her another moment to debate Pansy ripped the wand out of her grip, successfully stuffing it into her pocket. She shot a glance back at the pair as she shoved Astoria away, winking as she went.

Dumbfounded, it took the couple a moment to move again. When they did, Granger spoke first.

"Did… did we just get saved by Pansy?"

Draco nodded, looking around at the audience. Nothing like putting on a show for the student body. There were a decent amount of people standing around, but not as many from their year as expected. Looking at the back of the ground, he notice Blaise and Theo smirking before walking away.

Damn meddling friends.

"Let's not ask questions," he sighed, turning to guide her away by the small of her back. She was still angry, he could feel it coming off of her in waves. Confused or not Astoria's words cut into her, either as an irritation or actual jab he wasn't sure.

The further they got from the scene, the more relaxed she became. Placing her wand back in her pocket she finally let her shoulders drop, some of the tension leaving her body. "Is she always that much work?"

"Weasley is a lot of work."

"No, Ron's an idiot but he's not aggressive."

Draco stopped walking, fixing her with a glare. "Do you really want to debate that?"

Granger grunted, apparently unwilling to argue his point. "I'm just saying Ron's never tried to fight me… well, never mind that's a lie. Maybe we're even."

He smirked. "Maybe."

"Don't get cocky, this is literally the first day we're actually dealing with your fiancé and there's a massive blowout. Seriously, where was she the last month?"

"Oh, probably sleeping around like she usually is."

She laughed, something he wasn't expected. "Wow, we really make a pair don't we? We both have these sociopath people who have to move on."

He frowned. "I thought you were looking for revenge. I just want Astoria to stop trying to marry me."

Granger smiled, twining their fingers together. "Told you. What a crazy pair."

* * *

After all the drama that afternoon, Draco thought she would take his topic better.

"You want to have a discussion… about kissing?" she asked, stumped.

"Well, technically, I don't think you really have to discuss it, you just do it. However I think if I try that to piss off Astoria I'm just going to piss you off too."

She smiled, something he wasn't expecting. He half expected her to blush. They'd been in the middle of some so-called studying, their books thrown loosely around the paper and random rolls of parchment rolling off the table.

"It's… it's not something I'd considered," she admitted, glancing away. He was surprised she would actually talk to him about it. "I never considered we'd have to do that. I mean-"

"You didn't think about us having to kiss in a fake-relationship?" he asked, laughing in return. "You're serious? That's like half of the jealous build up! People always lose their shit when that happens."

"I don't know if I could have another confrontation with Astoria again so soon," she admitted, rolling her eyes. "Besides, that's like our first kiss right in front of people. Aren't those always awkward?"

"What? A first kiss?"

"Well, yeah."

He laughed, shaking his head. "No, not always. I'm guessing you don't have a massive amount of first kisses?"

"Viktor and Ron," she replied, giving him a coy smile. "And you?"

"Granger, we don't have all night to talk about this."

She smacked his shoulder, a smile gracing her features. "You make yourself sound so horrible. But seriously, you want our first kiss to be like a public spectacle?"

Rolling his eyes, he shifted closer with a smirk. "Doesn't have to be."

They paused then, seeming to take in the situation. They didn't usually hangout so close together, much less on the couch talking about kissing. Thinking things over they were pretty close together, leaning in close. After the day they'd had Draco didn't think they'd end up here, especially after the little blowout with Astoria.

Granger wet her lips, glancing down when she blushed. Despite himself, Draco couldn't help but think it was pretty damn adorable.

So he went for it.

She gasped when he leaned closer and kissed her, keeping the kiss soft since she apparently thought the first time was always _awkward_. She remained stiff for many moments before relaxing, one hand coming across the space between them to grasp his own. He smirked, deepening the kiss a hair.

Kissing Granger wasn't like kissing anyone else. He was used to girl's responding to him right away, and although she did her response was more subtle and sweet than he was accustomed to.

He pulled back first to stare at her, smiling when he noted the content expression on her face. She wasn't rosy like he'd thought she would be, but she did look shy staring down at the couch with a smile.

"See? Now it won't be awkward."

Laughing, she looked up with a nod, her eyes holding his gaze. "Yeah… not awkward at all."

* * *

 **A/n: Well here I am again, about a month late and hoping the romantic/plot-build up chapter somewhat helps for my delay. I would hope to have another chapter out soon but we see how well that goes with the wedding planning sooo… until next time.**


	10. Chapter 10

Hermione wouldn't exactly call herself _happy_ given the way things had gone over the past three weeks, but…

She was feeling kind of happy.

For things going so awry in early October, the end of the month seemed to be going okay. In the last week she'd managed to piss off Astoria, Ron, probably a third of the overall population with her so-called relationship…

Not to mention, she got a howler in the dorm yesterday from Draco's mother, and her belligerent rant about their status was both terrifying and hilarious at the same time. In the end, the pair ended up laughing so hard at the absurdity of the situation that they ended up crying.

Really, who was Narcissa Malfoy to lecture _anyone_ about the delicate traditions of forced marriage?

And now she had this somewhat cynical male as her support system in the most unlikely way possible. He certainly wasn't known for his gentle touch and tactfulness, but Draco had surprised her thus far by not being a complete arse with everything going on. She half expected him to turn around and laugh in her face, turning this into some type of joke she wasn't prepared for.

At least, she hoped things didn't go down that route. But after her roller-coaster relationship with Ron she supposed anything was possible if someone really wanted to be an arse. At least Malfoy seemed genuine enough, especially now that she knew he had an equal investment in their agreement.

So, to put it lightly, she was feeling a little happy, despite how absolutely messed up things seemed to be.

Even with his flaws, Draco could really be a great partner when he desired to be. Some days she even felt _wanted_ , and that was a pretty spectacular thing in itself.

A week had gone by since her confrontation with Astoria, and Ginny still whispered jokes in her ear about all the atrocious things she could've turned that brat into. Funny as it was, Hermione was glad she had some self-restraint. What kind of example did she set as head girl if she went around turning girls into toads?

Still, the idea had merit.

"So Hermione… library?"

And just like that, her happiness evaporated. Glancing at Draco, she tried to resist the urge to hex him for ruining her little fantasies.

"Hmm… how about no?"

"You can't just avoid the bloody place forever," he pointed out, jabbing his quill in her direction. He'd resided to sitting on the chair today, what with her textbooks being strewn haphazardly across the sofa and the majority of the table. "For fucks sake, you wanted _me_ to go find something for you last week."

"Well it's not like you didn't know what I was talking about. We're in almost all the same classes. You wanted the same book."

He paused, fixing her with a glare. "That's not the point and you know it."

Shutting up, she turned a sour expression down to the scattered notes she'd been taking. Maybe he had a point. She'd avoided going back to the library since her incident with Ron, and the following panic attack.

It was stupid. _Stupid_. A freaking war took place here! And she couldn't muster up enough courage to go back into the library because of one bad incident with Ron? Draco had to think she was bloody pathetic.

Well, she couldn't exactly blame him. She'd been kicking herself the past couple days, trying to convince herself to just go in there and get what she wanted. But she always stopped outside the door, afraid to go one step further.

Damnit Ron. Couldn't he have been a jerk someplace else? Like the Quidditch field maybe. That would've been a lot more convenient.

"I'll deal with it when I'm ready," she grumbled, shuffling around the papers. "Sometime. Soon. I'll have to go back inside someday."

He was quiet for a moment, thinking over her words. "The longer you avoid it the more power his stint has over you. You both were drunk, that was abundantly clear. Once you face it the place no longer holds power over you. And you better do it soon. I'm not going to continue picking up your books forever."

She peeked a glance at him, wondering why he sounded so certain. Maybe there were certain rooms in the school that harbored bad memories, but none could be so bad that he got panic attacks just outside, could they?

Hermione wanted to bite her tongue at the very thought. Crabbe died in the Room of Requirement. Of course he had bad memories of the school.

Still, he didn't go around panicking about it. Maybe it's because he shoved all those emotions so far down he simply pretended they weren't there.

She could believe that.

"I'll do it sometime, Draco," she said sternly, catching him off guard at the use of his first name while they were alone. "Trust me."

* * *

Hermione liked to believe she wasn't surprised by much of anything anymore. Tuesday morning, the last Tuesday of the month in fact, taught her that simply wasn't true.

She shouldn't be surprised.

Walking to the common room during her free hour she panicked and hopped behind a column at the sound of familiar voices, hoping beyond hope that they didn't notice her.

"All I'm saying Ronald," Lavender hissed, her voice quiet in the empty hall, "is this is a bit extreme."

"No," he snapped back, his footsteps heavy on the stone ground. "It's not. She made a fool of me. I can't just take that sitting down!"

"Shh, Won-Won. Someone might here you."

He scoffed, and for the life of her Hermione wished she could see. "Relax. No one's up here."

Hermione bit her lip, gripping her bag a little tighter. If he only knew.

"You already tried humiliating her once," Lavender continued, her voice not quite a whisper anymore. "No one bought it! You can't go around calling someone a slag without having evidence. Besides, she already got you to admit you were lying."

"It doesn't matter," he huffed, pacing. Hermione wondered what they were doing up here in this corridor. It was on the way to her dorm room, but pretty out of the way of Gryffindor's. There was no way this was a coincidence. "My first idea may not have been my best, but this one is brilliant. Honestly, she'll be lucky if she can show her face in school again."

Arching an eyebrow from her hiding spot, she attempted to peer around to see what exactly those two were doing. She stopped when she heard Ron's pacing again, deciding it was better to be safe than sorry.

After a pregnant pause, Lavender finally spoke up again. "When are you going to just let her go? Won-Won, you told me you moved on from her when she cheated with Malfoy!"

Well, that was new. Hermione wasn't entirely sure it was any more believable than Ron's last lie, but it wasn't one she'd heard around school. Maybe this one was special for Lavender's ears only.

Maybe that's how he won her over immediately after their break up.

"Well it doesn't exactly make me feel any better since no one else sees it! Those two, they won't even admit to it. But fucking hell, I _saw_ how they interacted. He was practically dragging her away from me from the beginning!"

She narrowed her eyes. That didn't seem accurate. If anything, their revenge plan was pretty mild until lately. Thinking back, the only big scandal that happened was their kiss on Thursday.

Despite the situation, she couldn't help but smirk. The smoldering anger in Astoria's eyes at that moment was something she'd never forget.

 _Last class before lunch. As annoying as Draco thought it was, she convinced per a pre-planned conversation this morning that the three days since their shared kiss in the common room that it was time to cause a scene._

 _He thought it was horrendously over planned. She just wanted things to go without a hitch. After all, she really needed to sell her relationship to Ron._

 _And Astoria. Which meant things needed to go perfectly._

 _In her head she counted down the minutes leading up to the end of class. With the hallways full of students heading to lunch it was the ideal time to stir up drama, and people were already beginning to gossip again since she and Draco hadn't had any other public scandals since he promptly declared to Ron that he'd lost her a week before._

 _She was definitely excited for the moment, but for everyone's reaction or the actual kiss she wasn't sure. Since Monday they'd been playing up the romance factor._

 _Holding hands… she'd swatted his shoulder playfully plenty of times, and he even wrapped his arm around her shoulders casually in class. Once he kissed her hand in the hallway and she swore half the school swooned._

 _Who knew a Malfoy could be so damn charming when he tried?_

 _And to be honest, she didn't exactly mind having to kiss him again. The one time in the common room definitely wasn't unpleasant, and the extra excitement of having people around actually had her heart fluttering a little bit._

 _What the actual hell was wrong with her?_

 _By the time class ended, she was ready to get on with it. The anticipation was beginning to kill her, and if they waited too much longer she may actually lose her nerve. How he looked so damn calm about the entire thing she didn't know, but she had to remember he wanted to go about the whole thing randomly._

 _Ha! Randomly, as if…_

 _And randomly is exactly what happened. If they went about it they way she'd described Draco was supposed to stop her in the middle of the hallway, very cliché, and kiss her in full view of everyone._

 _Instead, she saw Ron pinning Lavender up against a wall and somewhat lost her cool._

 _She didn't mean to throw herself at the blond and startle him, but it definitely got the reaction out of the crowd that she wanted. There were plenty of 'ooh's' and 'aww's' and lots of gasps._

 _They also didn't plan for him to gasp and lift her up off the floor, but things happen._

 _And it couldn't have gone any better._

Now she wished she'd controlled herself a little more and paid attention, but at the time she'd been so lost in the moment. Kissing Draco felt good, a lot better than she'd expected.

Much better than Ron, though she wasn't yet ready to admit that out loud.

She zoned back into their conversation, realizing somewhere along the way she missed part of what they were saying.

"…difference unless she cares," Lavender wined, and she could practically see the girl pouting. "She looks like she's moved on, which is what I thought you were doing. You're not going to win that tightarse back Won-Won, so let her go."

"I didn't say I want her back. I want her humiliated like she made me at the lake."

"But-"

"No buts. It'll work, and once she feels as stupid as I did I'll let it go. She's obviously not as good as you, love."

Lavender giggled, and Hermione had to force down the urge to gag at the noise. "Oh Won-Won, I knew you'd see it my way."

"Just help me with this one last thing and I'll be done with Hermione."

"Promise?"

There was a brief pause. "Promise."

She shuffled further behind the column as their footsteps approached, their shadows passing by and moving along down the hallway in the afternoon light. She waited a few counts longer before emerging, glancing both ways as she came out of hiding.

That didn't sound good.

Sighing, she wondered how she constantly got herself into these situations. Ron and Lavender were definitely plotting something, and she couldn't think of a worse time for this to come up. Didn't they already have enough going on?

* * *

Draco glanced between the two, trying to decide if they were kidding or not.

"And… you're sure of this?"

"We wouldn't be up here if we weren't," Blaise replied, tapping his temple. "Mum is overjoyed about it. She sent me a whole book about what she wants to wear."

"That's not surprising," Theo laughed, shaking his head. "She'll use anything as an excuse to find another husband."

"Why you-"

"He's right Blaise," Draco huffed, annoyed. "No use getting upset over the truth."

Theo's eyebrows shot up, his hands coming together to clasp in front of him. "Oh, does that mean you'll be taking your own advice then?"

"What? No! There's no way I'm marrying Astoria. I already told mother this."

"I don't think she's listening," Blaise replied, smirking. "Otherwise she wouldn't be setting a date for your wedding."

"Yeah, wasn't that the point of agreeing to Granger's plan? If you convinced Astoria that you were no longer marriage material, she'd drop the proposal?"

He scowled, thinking back to the conversation they had almost three weeks ago, right after he'd agreed to Hermione's proposition.

" _Mother still wants me to marry Astoria. She's been owling for days. Unless I can convince her that the marriage would be a mistake, she'll never accept my choice. This is the one decision father made with her that she thinks she can still fulfill."_

Honestly, he hadn't actually thought he'd need to deal with the issue this long. Astoria was vain and fickle, and he assumed she'd jump at the chance to marry some rich prick (British or otherwise) who offered her money. He wasn't the only rich bachelor! Surely someone would find her personality… charming.

And he definitely never planned on letting Hermione in on his hidden motive. She'd certainly caught on by now, but that wasn't the point. This was supposed to be her revenge ploy, not his engagement escape.

Maybe it could be both, but entangling too many problems into one plan could get messy quickly.

"She already roped Pansy into looking for dresses," Theo continued, twirling a quill between his fingers, their homework now forgotten. "Sounds like she and your mum want a winter wedding."

"Fucking fabulous."

"So you better get it on with Granger," Blaise continued, laughing at his friend's scowl. "Otherwise they will find a way to trick you into this marriage."

"And a loveless marriage it will be," Theo agreed, wiggling his eyebrows. "Nothing like that kiss with Granger last week. Bloody amazing performance really. I wouldn't mind-"

"For Merlin's sake Nott," Draco scowled, getting up off the sofa. "Just stop right there."

He sniggered. "But-"

"No buts," he snapped, digging around in the makeshift liquor cabinet he'd made in the kitchenette. "One stupid arse problem at a time please."

 **A/N: Kind of a filler, kind of a development chapter. You should be proud that I got this one out so quickly! The inspiration just came to me and I had to go with it. Since these chapters are so short, it's a little easier to whip a chapter out when I'm inspired over having to have an actual idea to move the plot forward.**

 **Yes, this story will have lots of twists and turns but it's pretty much a romance-centric/revenge plotline, so that will remain the theme throughout the chapters. I have no idea how long it will be yet, we will see how the plot goes. Until next time lovelies. Let me know what you thought!**


	11. Chapter 11

"So… instead of dealing with Weasley, you want to do this?"

Hermione took a deep breath, rocking back and forth on her heels. She flinched, turned, and almost bolted away before freezing, looking back over her shoulder again.

"You did tell me to face my fears."

Malfoy frowned, giving her a weird look. She'd relayed all the dirty gossip she heard between Ron and Lavender on Tuesday and so far she hadn't done anything… two days later.

Of course, any plans she might come up with were continuously diverted every time Astoria got within shouting distance of her _fiancé_ , especially now that she was trying to push for a wedding very soon.

If she wasn't tied to Malfoy right now, she'd find the whole situation funny. But considering the so-called marriage came at her expense (and the failure of her somewhat developed plan) she wasn't so chipper about the girl's incessant need to constantly remind the student body these days that she was supposed to marry Malfoy.

Really now, this girl was supposed to be from "high-class".

"I meant go kick Weasley in the shin or dump him in the lake again," he grumbled, rubbing his head. "I didn't think you'd want to come to the library."

"You told me to do exactly that a couple days ago!"

"Yeah, but it's nearly closing time. Couldn't we have come earlier? You're going to make me late for patrols." A mischievous glint flashed through his eyes, taking in the scattered array of students coming from the library. "Unless you're trying to leave an impression."

Hermione turned up her nose, ignoring what he was insinuating. "Well, it couldn't hurt. I do need to go back in there at some point. I may as well do it when no one is around to watch. And besides, don't pretend like you care about patrols. The only reason you have to go tonight is because you _slept through them_ yesterday."

"What does it matter?"

"Well, you got yelled at by McGonagall-"

"Yeah, you know that's not what I'm talking about."

She forced a smile, ignoring the nervous bubbles rising up in her body. Her knees felt like shaking at the very idea of going back into the library, but she wouldn't let Ron's tactless antics ruin one of the most sacred and personal places to her in the entire school.

Besides, she needed some new ammunition. She wouldn't exactly say that the student body was bored with her dramatic relationship with Malfoy, but she could use some new gossip-worthy flames to ignite Ron's fire once more. The stint with Malfoy's supposed marriage diverted everyone's attention, but Hermione wanted to make sure her ex did not forget that _she_ started the entire relationship to begin with.

So, the best way to combat good gossip is with better gossip.

Tugging out an item from her pocket, she shot Draco a wicked grin, unable to keep the expression from her lips. "I have a key to the library, remember? We can go in just before close and, you know… stir the drama."

He matched her grin, glancing at his watch. "Okay Hermione, you're plan isn't as slated as I thought. But if we don't go in now there won't be anyone around _to_ gossip."

Nodding, she jutted out a hand. He didn't hesitate, reaching out to grasp her fingers between his, giving her hand a gentle squeeze. Hermione returned the gesture, unable to respond but happy for his presence. She felt better wandering back into the library with company.

Of course, he didn't need to know that. Some things she didn't have to tell Draco for him to pick up on, he just seemed to know.

Steps outside the entranceway she froze up, having to be dragged inside by her blond counterpart as two upperclassmen passed by. Draco shot her a sly look, kissing her knuckles as they entered in full view of several girls as they headed towards the exit.

Fear or not, even she had to admit he was good at putting on a show.

"You lead the way," he offered, stopping near the counter. Madam Pince was gone from her post, and Hermione knew one of the school assigned assistants was probably busy ushering people out. Thankfully she knew the route after enough practice, and she wouldn't have to worry about prying eyes in a couple minutes. There were still enough people headed out to start rumors, and she'd get plenty of gossip like she wanted. She was sure of it.

"However you might want to stop shaking," Draco continued, speaking when she didn't. Hermione blinked, realizing she'd been lost in thought. He'd pulled them away from the counter, and she noted that the lights were dimmed now.

The library was officially closed.

Just like last time.

She shuddered, taking a shaking breath.

"Hey, at least don't freak out on me," he said, pulling his hand away. "In the lights she could see him scratching his head awkwardly, looking anyplace but her. "Really, don't do that. People really will get the wrong impression of me like that."

Despite herself, Hermione snorted. "No one's here, genius."

"Well yeah, I know that. But it helped to relax you a little, didn't it?"

Hermione pursed her lips, glancing around. Yeah, his attempt at humor did help lighten the mood a hair. She'd already accomplished half of her goal by walking in there with the blond in tow, now she just needed to make it two for two.

She'd love to come to the library as she pleased again, missing the familiar isles and the comfort of bound paper. Being away was hard, but going without for the remainder of the year was an impossibility for her.

She just needed to toughen up and push herself onward. Three weeks came and went, and she already felt stronger for the time that passed.

Flexing her fingers, she gave him the tiniest smile. "Walk with me. I want… I want to look around."

Draco followed her down the rows of books, not pushing the speed of their journey to be faster or slower. For the most part the library was as welcoming as ever, memories of Ron be damned. It was still her little haven, a home away from home

She froze at the row with a sturdy wood table, Draco bumping into her from behind. Her eyes dulled a little, crossing her arms over her chest as she stared at it.

That damn table. If Ron had an ounce of patience, he could've at least destroyed their relationship on the collection of pillows she kept only a few rows further back. But no, he had to be impatient, he had to want to get into her pants right there –

"Hermione, you're glaring."

She jumped, staring at the blond. Unless there was a necessity, he didn't use her first name when they were alone. Gulping, she ripped her eyes from the desk. "Oh."

He was quiet for a moment before speaking again, one hand coming to grasp her right wrist ever so gently. She nearly panicked at the touch, but relaxed when she noticed his soft, angular features. "Any particular reason we stopped here or do you just like staring at the table?"

"No, I wouldn't say I like it at all."

"Herm-"

"Let's just keep walking," she muttered, looking away. She didn't feel as frightened as the last time she was so close to this spot, when she ran off in the halls and left Draco more than a little confused. She expected to panic again when they got inside, but an unusual air of calm swept over her instead.

Maybe it had something to do with sticking up to Ron at the lake. Whether he thought so or not, she bested him that day. If she'd just done that to begin with maybe she wouldn't have so many problems.

Still, the little victories already made her feel better. Even if the memories were daunting, they didn't suffocate her.

"I want to show you something," she said, grabbing his hand out of nowhere. He arched an eyebrow but let her pull him along the isles, back into a quaint corner she usually had all to herself.

Dropping his arm, she pulled out her wand and gave it a gentle flick. She didn't bother turning to read the uncertainty on his face before the wall in front of them creaked, and the center toppled open like a hatch, revealing a hovel of pillows and a well-worn blanket.

Draco blinked, remaining quiet for several seconds. "Oh my Merlin, you actually have a _hideout_ in the library."

She scoffed, turning to him as her hands flew to her hips. "It's not a hideout! I found it by accident one day during second year. I liked it so much I started bringing things here so I could read in comfort and quiet. I can't always use the space when there are a lot of people here who might find it, but it comes in handy sometimes."

"Wait, you've been hiding this for six years?"

"It's not that hard," she replied, stepping forward with a shrug. Her fingers skimmed the tops of the familiar pillows, causing her to smile. "I mean, almost everyone I know dislikes reading – which is a tragedy by the way – so I haven't had to worry about anyone coming to look for me at night." She dropped down into the space, letting herself stretch out comfortably among the pillows. "It's… well, I was going to show Ron this spot the night everything happened."

Draco nodded, sitting on the edge of her cocoon. There was a circular space inside almost like an indent, deep enough to create a space for her to rest the pillows against without worry that they would get squished when the hideout flipped back into the wall. She'd even gone so far as to line the bottom with what appeared to be a rather soft blanket.

"Even Weasel hasn't seen this spot? Well, I feel honored Granger."

She rolled her eyes, resting her elbows on the edge. "It's his own damn fault really. He was too drunk and impatient to just wait for me to show him this spot. That's how we ended up on the table out there." She cringed, absentmindedly rubbing her shoulder. "Everything kind of went downhill from there."

Frowning, he narrowed his eyes a little. "Granger-"

"Look, Draco, I don't want to talk about what happened, okay?" she pressed, resting her head on her arms. "Talking about it doesn't make me feel better, and it's over now anyway. I'll never put myself in a position where anything could happen again between Ron and me, so it's a moot point."

"That's not-"

"Maybe some other time," she grumbled, interrupting again. He had half a mind to tell her to shove it and give her a piece of his mind. But it was late, and she'd gone somewhere that terrified her a week ago, so maybe he could give her a break this time.

She surprised him then, extending a hand his way. "Come sit with me. You can't fully appreciate it out there."

"You do realize it's gonna be cramped, right?"

"You're not a giant," Hermione replied, laughing as she tugged on his arm. "Come on, you've got to get the full experience. Do you know how long I worked making this perfect?"

"Six bloody years," he grumbled, giving in. He let her tug him down into the pillows, relaxing into the space. He couldn't fully stretch out without propping his feet up on the edge, but he wasn't complaining.

"See? I told you its perfect."

"Are you sure this isn't where you come to nap? This is a proper napping space. I'd never be able to read in this."

She stuck out her tongue, leaning back into the pillows too. "Fine, then you can come nap here and keep me company when I read."

Her words hung in the air, and or a moment Draco wasn't sure if she was embarrassed or just surprised by what she said.

Hermione immediately cleared her throat, and if his eyes weren't half closed and turned towards the ceiling he was certain he'd see a tomato faced bookworm. "If you want to of course!"

He snorted. "I'm sure coming into the library mysteriously at night will cause all the drama you want. It wouldn't hurt the plan."

When she spoke again her voice was soften, almost dripping with happiness. "I'd like that. No one's ever been interested enough to just come here and… sit with me."

"Trust me, if I get to sleep here every time I'll always come with. Besides, it sounds like a good excuse to keep hiding from my _fiancé_."

"Og yeah, bothersome thing she is. You do know she waited outside the dorm for over an hour yesterday to see you."

"I know, Blaise walked by and told me all about it. That's why I was late."

"No, that's how you slept through half of your patrols."

"Details."

She sighed, but it was a happy sound this time. "We need to do something about her. All the constant glaring in class is starting to get annoying. Ginny offered to punch her on my behalf the other day, but I figured it will just send all the wrong messages if others handle my fights."

He cleared his throat. "Yeah, you're probably right. Maybe you should punch her instead, really teach her a lesson."

"Yeah, as fun as that whole idea sounds, I'm gonna pass."

Beside her Draco started to pout, and she couldn't suppress her laughter anymore at the absurdity of the whole situation. Were they really sitting in the library after curfew in her secret spot, debating the best way to fight off Astoria?

Not to mention, he'd done a pretty good job distracting her from being afraid. She didn't even have some lingering shudders at the moment, and although it was very similar to the situation she found herself in weeks ago with Ron, she didn't feel the slightest bit uncomfortable.

It was almost too surreal to believe.

Then he really startled her, almost causing her to jump out of her skin. He appeared to be dozing, and whether out of instinct or desire, his fingers found hers across the space and gripped her hand. Dumbfounded, she stared down at their connected hands.

There were those nervous bubbles again, only this time it felt more like butterflies. Staring at his face, she smiled. She hadn't felt so at peace in a while.

Snuggling down into the space, she let her eyes droop shut. If only for a few minutes, she wanted to appreciate a sweet moment with Draco. It was one of the truly genuine moments in their so-called relationship, and she didn't want to blow it.

It felt kind of nice lying beside someone she was growing to like.

 **A/n: *hides behind hands* Here's a very late chapter, I hope you like it. Next time we'll see the drama again… it's always a roller-coaster with these two. R & R.**


	12. Chapter 12

The only reason Hermione woke up was due to the tickling sensation beneath her nose.

She almost jumped out of her skin when she realized the tickling was actually hair.

Barely catching the screech that wanted to rip out of her throat, she jerked away from the person bent near her, their head resting directly below her face. Just before passing out earlier she'd decided to cast light upon her hidden area from one of the secure lamps hanging off the shelves. Unclenching her hand from the front of her robe she let out a breath, mentally beating herself up for being spooked so easily.

 _Draco_. Oh hell, she had to be going mental if she couldn't even remember who she fell asleep beside earlier, and he was literally the only person she'd ever shared this space with. It was stupid to think anyone else was here.

Her expression hardened, thinking of the night she'd nearly brought Ron here. Even if things went according to plan, she got the feeling she'd regret that decision now. He had no idea where in the library she'd wanted to bring him, and she had absolutely no intention of ever sharing.

Besides, there was no way he'd ever appreciate this place the way her dorm mate did. Ron never would've taken the time to simply relax with her.

Glancing at her wristwatch, her face paled as she realized the time. It was much later than she thought, and as it was only Thursday night (Friday morning now) they still had classes to catch in a couple hours. They had well overstayed their welcome.

Turning, she reached to wake Draco up but her hand stopped short, eyes widening as he let out a quiet whimper. She hadn't paid him much mind the last few moments, and only now did she realize that he seemed to be shaking in his sleep.

Her jaw dropped, realization dawning on her. When she awoke he was very clearly lying much closer to her, not cuddled up against her chest but close. The position was a lot more intimate than she wanted to admit, and just recalling the moment had her blushing. The tickling sensation was from his hair, and the lower position he'd placed himself in.

Staring at him now, she figured he probably moved closer to her body for comfort. Whatever the blond dreamed of, it was undoubtedly unpleasant. There was no way his body shook like that out of habit.

Draco let out a second whimper, snapping her from her thoughts. Hermione didn't waste a moment reaching out to shake his shoulder, deciding it was better to simply wake him than wait around to see if she could find out anything while he slept.

The moment she gave his shoulder a shake something snapped inside the Slytherin, sending his senses roaring to life. She barely had time to jump out of the way and grab for her wand in self-defense as he sprang to life, whipping his wand out of Merlin knew where, angling the tip at her throat.

Hermione blanched, wand in hand but she didn't raise it to protect herself. A moment later his pupils adjusted, his surroundings seeming to click in place as his arm dropped, eyes widening in surprise.

She'd never seen such a reaction from the blond before, even when she was stumbling around drunk early in the morning that fateful day. Maybe he didn't show any signs of a nightmare since he had a moment to compose himself before stepping into the living room (or she was too drunk to notice) but she'd never seen fear like that mirrored in his eyes before, and they'd survived a war.

"Granger," he said, breaking the stifling silence. He didn't use her first name, something she attempted to not let bother her as they stared each other down. She'd never felt disappointed to hear him address her that way in private before. "Sorry… guess I passed out."

"Did you just say sorry?" she asked, surprised. There were lots of things she figured he would say right now, but sorry definitely wasn't one of them. She wasn't even sure what was going on, the sleepy feeling still heavy in her mind. His odd behavior wasn't enough to completely jar her awake, even if he suddenly seemed very alert. "You don't-"

"It's late," he interrupted, cutting her off mid-sentence. "We uh… we should get back to the dorm. We still have class in the morning."

"But-"

"Hermione," he sighed, standing from her hidey-hole. He brushed off his robes before stepping out of the ring of pillows, keeping his gaze anywhere but her. "Not now. You keep your demons hidden, let me have mine."

Clamping her mouth shut, she glared at the side of his head. He had a point, she hadn't exactly divulged all the dramatic details of her ordeal to him, what obligation did he have to pay her that respect? Really, unless she felt like telling him all about Ron, she had no room to talk.

Besides, he had every right to his own secrets.

"Fine," she grumbled, getting up as well. It took almost no time to return the hidden dome back to the wall and extinguish the solitude lamp she'd lit before the pair headed out of the library via their wands. Lumos sure was handy, but she got a funny feeling that it'd be pretty damn easy to spot on the walk back.

"Moon's out," he grumbled as Hermione locked the library door. "It's probably bright enough to head back without wands."

"My thoughts exactly," she replied, pocketing her wand. Her eyes slid sideways to Draco as they began walking, replaying the moment when he woke up and angled his wand at her neck. No explanation thus far, and they'd both done a stellar job of completely ignoring the topic.

She better keep her wand within reach, just in case. Something was eating his mind tonight, something she didn't understand.

Just as she finally got up enough gumption to invade his privacy and find out exactly what was eating him the sound of voices caught her attention up ahead, and the pair stilled. Glancing sideways at one another, realization flashed through their eyes.

 _Astoria_. It was nearly four in the bleeding morning. What in Merlin's name was she doing strolling through the corridors? If it were their night for patrols (and it was several hours earlier) they may be able to storm up to her and demand to know what she was doing without repercussions. Now though they might just risk their own necks as well if they acted too quickly.

Hermione crept forward, her eyes constantly glancing back to Draco. They didn't want to do anything rash, and she could see the same unease mirrored in his eyes. This could only spell trouble.

"…just saying, it's a pretty pathetic act. Who could ever love a Mudblood?" she cried, her voice carrying around the nearest corner. Hermione tightened her grip on her wand in her pocket, daring the bint to do something stupid.

"Hell Astoria, how am I supposed to know?"

She arched an eyebrow, barely catching the surprise in Draco's eyes. So Pansy was up ahead too, up and this ungodly hour.

"It's such an _injustice_. How can he pretend that mutt is somehow comparable to _me_?" the girl continued, her whiny voice echoing in the silent corridors.

"For fucks sake, are you going to talk about yourself all night?" Pansy replied, her tone quick and short. Clearly she wasn't as interested in Astoria's woes as the girl herself was.

Feeling her nerves beginning to calm, Hermione braved a quick peek around the corner. Astoria was sitting on the floor, her skirt pushed up into something resembling a belt around her waist. In the moonlight it looked like she'd spilled something on her top.

Eyes widening, Hermione realized she was absolutely smashed. Pansy on the other hand looked stone cold sober, glaring down at the girl in front of her. She was in some sort of lounge clothing, her feet covered by a pair of slippers. If Hermione had to guess, Astoria either woke her up from sleep or someone else did to make Parkinson come find her.

They weren't even close to the Slytherin common room. Pansy had to have followed her here for some reason.

She felt a hand on her wrist gently tug her back, and Hermione glanced over her shoulder to spot Draco peering out as well. Whatever demons he dreamt up in his sleep were gone, replaced by a serious expression that brought back memories of their previous school year. He looked just as uncertain about the situation as she felt.

"But _Pansy_ , it's so unfair! You do realize I have to fight for my fiancé now don't you?"

Pansy groaned. "Would you keep quiet? Do you want someone to find us?"

"But Pansy!"

"Look, I get that you are upset, and yeah being rejected by Theo is probably a blow to your self-esteem-"

A banging sound echoed in the corridor, and if Hermione had to guess it was due to Astoria banging her empty head against the wall. "Why won't he sleep with me!?"

"Oh – oh, _Merlin_ , you need a mint. I told you we should go back after you hurled out the window."

"But I'm trying to find Drakey!"

"And why, why would he be hanging out here at this hour?"

"I, I well…" Astoria's voice trailed off for a moment, and Hermione couldn't decide if it was due to sleep or her intoxicated state. "I tried knocking on his door!"

"You mean the common room door. If he wants to avoid you, and trust me I'm _still_ on his side here, he's not just going to open the door."

"T-Theo and Blaise didn't know where he was either!"

Pansy grunted, and Hermione could tell her patience was wearing thin. She was dying to know how the pair happened out here together, but she wouldn't dare interrupt their conversation now. "I know you're drunk, but you don't seriously think his friends will sell him out, do you?"

"Well I _tried_ convincing Theo to tell me-"

"I don't think sex is the best temptation here. You are trying to find your _fiancé_ , right? Sleeping with his best friends shouldn't be your first means of persuasion."

There was a pounding sound, and she could practically imagine the girl flailing her arms around in frustration, the noise duller than before. "You're missing the point!"

Zoning out the hysterical Slytherin girl, Hermione focused her attention on Draco again when he gently nudged her ankle. He pointed across the hall with his finger, suggesting that they continue on their way even with Astoria having a tantrum right around the corner.

She blinked. Did he seriously think they could slip by the irate girl so easily? Pansy seemed to be struggling with her, and she at least seemed to be on her side (for the time being). If Draco thought she wouldn't notice him walking across the hallway to the next corridor he'd gone crazy with lack of sleep.

Rolling her eyes, she peered from her hiding place again. Pansy was in front of the girl now with her wand, a vein nearly popping out of her skull as they argued about Merlin knew what. At her sudden movement the dark haired girl peered up, eyes widening as she realized they were being watched.

Not to be left out in the cold, Hermione grabbed Draco's collar and pulled his head just around the corner too, finding Pansy's stunned expression rather comical.

In a brief moment Pansy's expression flashed from surprised to smug to serious again.

Her jaw snapped shut a moment later, seeming to notice the dilemma the pair faced. With a dramatic flourish she dropped to her knees, using her wand to help her hoist Astoria's arm over her shoulder.

"Come on! We'll get in trouble if we stay here any longer. Filch and Mrs. Norris are bound to come by here soon."

"B-but what about my Draco?"

"Again, why would you find him in the corridors at this hour?" She grunted, stumbling a few steps. "Merlin woman, support your own weight!"

Astoria grumbled something incoherent about not beign heavy, and Hermione had to fight down the urge to hex her while she was no threat. It would be so very easy, but so very unjust.

Really, if she was going to make that dimwit look like a fool she at least wanted someone _not_ in Slytherin around to acknowledge it.

As the pair meandered off Draco and Hermione chanced stepping from their hiding place, watching the duo struggle the opposite way. Astoria was clearly too drunk to be walking, and using magic would be a lot easier, but she wouldn't be distracted that way, and might actually see them leaving.

This was better. Pansy knew exactly what to do to buy them a few moments.

As they reached the end of the corridor Pansy glanced over her shoulder, mouthing a barely noticeable ' _you owe me'_ at the pair. Hermione noticed Draco smirk as they skittered across the hallway to safety again, following his footsteps until they rounded the next bend.

"I never realized Pansy and Astoria were friends," she mumbled once they were far enough away. She shoved her hands down into the pockets of her jumper, fighting off the growing cold.

"They aren't."

"Really? You could've fooled me."

Draco huffed, maintaining his place a couple steps ahead of her. She wasn't sure if he was avoiding her or if he actually wanted to get to bed that badly. "Pansy's a great actress when she wants to be. She cozied up to Astoria weeks ago, way before she started up on the fiancé tangent."

"Uh-huh. So does she usually trick people into being her friends?"

"Don't be snappy," he grumbled. "Astoria's the queen of gossip, even over Pansy. After the war Pansy mellowed out a little bit. She's not interested in me anymore – thank Merlin – but she finds some twisted sort of pleasure in watching my affairs suffer."

"Um, didn't Pansy help warn you about Astoria to begin with?"

"I didn't need to be," he snapped, waving her off when she tried to ask another question. "Not now, it's too bloody late. I'm already going to be an absolute waste tomorrow. Point is Pansy's had her eyes elsewhere for a while now, and she is one of my dearest friends even if she enjoys making my life hard. She's only friends with Astoria because I asked her to be."

Hermione's ears perked up, surprised by the news. Draco usually didn't want to share too much with her, but perhaps his lack of sleep tonight tempted him to be more of an open book. "What benefit is that?"

"You have to ask? Astoria obviously trusts Pansy, and she's been after our marriage since her mother declared bankruptcy. The whole family is broke. Unless she can sleep with someone rich and get in their good graces she has nothing to her name."

"But what about Daphne? Shouldn't she be with her sister above everyone?"

He scoffed, his tone venomous when he spoke again. "Blood is not thicker than water. The pair had a falling out. They don't speak anymore."

Eyes widening, she turned her head forward again to hide her surprise. "How long has that been going on?"

"The fallout? Since May. It's October now. Six months is a long time to ignore someone you see every bleeding day."

She worried her lip before speaking again, wondering if her next question would make him cross. "I always thought Purebloods had this huge thing about family. I thought they were big about not betraying their blood."

"Things change," he snapped, pushing further ahead. "We lost an entire fucking war. Blood means nothing these days."

Hermione let the conversation lapse, following a couple steps behind to mull over his words. How could Draco, one of the biggest believers in family bonds in the entire school, think that blood meant nothing?

She pressed her lips into a line, deciding to save the question for later. Some things could wait until tomorrow.

 **A/n: I told you a bit of drama! What happens tomorrow? Leave me a review to find out! I'm trying to get an okay amount written this month since I know October will be a pretty empty month as far as updates go with the wedding *don't hate me*. R & R. **


	13. Chapter 13

Draco didn't appreciate being yelled at. He enjoyed it even less when it happened before ten in the morning, and it was the bleeding Headmistress scolding him for missing patrols two days in a row.

Saying he slept through both days was a pretty lame excuse. Now he had to do patrols tonight _and_ tomorrow, which meant his entire weekend was shot.

And then there was Hermione.

"We can still go," she reminded, rolling her eyes at him. "This isn't a Hogsmeade weekend, only the eighth years will be there. It will be peaceful."

"I have to patrol Saturday, remember?"

"It's a night thing," she argued, pointing at a section of his notes. "There. You missed the second annotation. You do have to actually look at the paper when you do these things."

"I can't. I'm much too distressed about losing my entire weekend to these damned halls."

Rolling her eyes, she briefly set the textbook aside and turned to glare at him on the sofa. "I patrol on Saturday too, remember? We made the schedules together."

"Well, at least that will be bearable."

She smiled, looking back over their notes again. Several moments passed before she spoke. "So… I saw another letter from your mother."

"Are you reading my mail now?" he joked, glancing at the letter he'd tossed on the table by the door. He hadn't read much of it, already aware of what his mother wanted to discuss. The only thing he'd actually paid attention to was the date towards the bottom, one that had his stomach rolling.

He probably should've mentioned it to his fake girlfriend.

"So December eighteenth?" she continued, eyeing him curiously. "That's just over a month and a half away."

"I'm not getting married," he snapped, glaring at her. "Mother picked the date with Astoria. It's literally one week before Christmas."

She nodded along, clearly thinking something over in her head. "So um, what do you plan to do about that? The marriage I mean. Clearly what we're doing now isn't stopping the plan. It sounds like they are getting ready to print invitations."

Draco's eyebrows shot up, giving her a wicked grin. "You _are_ reading my mail."

"Just that one," she responded sheepishly, glancing down. "I've been thinking about it since this morning when I saw the letter. Thankfully Astoria was too hung over today to complain again. I guess we need to be more persuasive."

"It's not an engagement," he grumbled. "Engagements have rings and happy couples. This is some sort of conspiracy."

"Right," Hermione replied, arching a brow. "But calling it a conspiracy doesn't change anything. Since your mother is clearly not convinced that you're ignoring Astoria, I thought we could maybe use this weekend to our advantage. I mean… the media is always hanging round there in case Harry shows up."

He blinked, trying to decide if he was reading her right. "You want to put on a show for one of those crackpot reporters that hangs out in Hogsmeade?"

"Well, sort of-"

"Because it would take way more than one little kiss to convince them," he continued, leaning back in the sofa. "And maybe you've forgotten, but it's not like we've made out. It'd have to be more than a peck on the lips to get an outburst from my mother. She won't stop a marriage for one kiss."

"So… more like the kiss in the hallway?"

He chuckled. "Granger, I mean we'd really have to make out. Put on a _show_. Crazy young couples make out in public places, discreet or not. We'd have to sell the story. I had just assumed you don't want to do something like that."

"I've made out before! What kind of prude do you think I am?"

"With me? We'll get splattered across the headlines for something like that. I thought you hated the media?"

"I just hate reporters that warp the truth," she grumbled, her fingers digging into the sofa. "Though with something like this I'm not sure how much they could actually make up."

Draco narrowed his eyes, studying her. He expected her to back out when he brought this up, poking at her buttons more than anything. They kissed occasionally but nothing like he would with someone he was actually dating. Aside from the first public kiss in the hallway there was nothing steamy about the actions, just chaste sweet moments.

Besides, he didn't think she'd appreciate making out with him for the first time in public if she thought first kisses could be awkward. He'd have to do something about it.

Then he'd know exactly how she felt about it.

Shifting the books between them to the side he scooted closer, watching her curious expression. It was kind of cute watching her study everything, as though she could pick his movements apart like an equation.

It made him laugh. "You're way too calculated," he breathed, leaning in to kiss her. He was more than pleased when she didn't pull away, whatever surprise she was feeling outweighed by the sensation.

He definitely enjoyed kissing her more than he probably should.

Wrapping his arms around her he pulled her a little closer, smirking when she gasped quietly. Her arms wrapped around his neck, and he took that as a good sign that she at least wasn't going to hex him for doing this.

They never kissed in the common room, not since their first kiss. Usually their time was spent with Hermione devising complicated scenarios to get Ron back, and most recently Draco chiming in about Astoria's so-called plans.

He definitely preferred kissing her. She responded easily to his touch, leaning in to deepen the kiss. He pulled her against him, pressing her chest against his.

Hermione responded, much more eager than he anticipated. Her fingers dug into his neck, her tongue sliding out to greet his as it traced the line of her lips. She leaned in closer, practically pushing him back into the couch to reach him better.

He grinned, letting her take over. He had absolutely no idea what she was going to do, and it was kind of exciting. He only meant to give her a taste of what she'd have to do if she wanted to make a scene.

Draco didn't specifically know what her limits were or if she even had any when it came to kissing, he hadn't really had a reason to push. If she set the pace, he really shouldn't have to worry about anything.

She shifted closer on the couch, not quite sitting on his lap but close. Her arms relaxed a little bit around his neck as they continued to make out, and he realized she was finally properly enjoying.

Playfully, he nipped her bottom lip to see if he could get a rise out of her. She moaned quietly, her actions freezing a second later as all the air seemed to get sucked out of her.

Draco's eyes widened, pulling back a hair at her stunned expression. He thought he could get a rise out of her, but he wasn't exactly going for that. He felt his member twitch against his leg at the sound, and figured it was better to stop now than really risk freaking her out.

He rested his forehead against hers, both of them panting after the steamy make out session. She still looked stunned but hadn't pulled away yet, keeping her gaze locked with his.

Unconsciously, he started stroking her cheek but snatched his hand away when he realized what he was doing. The action seemed to snap her out of her daze, and she jumped up and out of arms reach.

"I- um…" she cleared her throat, letting her breathing even out again before continuing again. "What was that?"

Draco smirked, finding the rising blush on her cheeks and chest rather adorable. His actions obviously bothered her, but he didn't think it was the way she was expecting. "What? You said we need to make a scene. Kiss me like that and we'll definitely make the front page."

She sputtered, her brows drawing together. "But why did you do that here?!"

"You're the one who said first kisses are awkward, remember?"

"But we already kissed!"

"Granger, those little pecks you give me aren't shit. You want to see Weasley's eyes bleed? Get under Astoria's skin so she calls off the marriage? _That's_ the kind of kissing we need."

Pausing, she mulled over his words. Her hair was a little mushed, and he tried to remember if that was his doing or not. "Well… I would like to see Ron's eyes bleed, just a little."

"Trust me, his ears will bleed too if you moan like that again."

She glanced away, the blush darkening a hair. Draco decided it was a good thing she was out of arms reach, because he didn't much care what their agreement was in that moment. If she purred for him like that again he'd love to ravish the daylights out of her.

He wasn't totally sure he was thinking straight after snogging her either, but his other head was doing most of the thinking right now.

Hermione cleared her throat again, finally meeting his gaze head on. "So, just like that tomorrow then?"

"Or at least close," he grinned, finding the uncertainty rather cute. She didn't look frightened, just like she was surprised she fell right into him in the first place.

Oh yes, their agreement just got a lot more interesting. No wonder Weasel wasn't keen on letting her go. For some shy little tightarse she sure did a bang up job when it came to snogging.

"Right," she said, nodding her head a few times. "Right." With that she turned briskly on her heel, practically rushing into her bedroom to slam the door.

Draco couldn't help himself. He started laughing, one hand flying to grasp his head at the absurdity of the situation. Having a hot make out session with his roommate was not on his to-do-list today.

But after experiencing that, he'd definitely have to plan to do it again. And much more often than just tomorrow.

* * *

Blowing on his fringe, Draco tried to estimate how much longer he needed to walk through the halls. His Friday nights were usually reserved for drinking, and more recently brainstorming with Granger, and he couldn't wait for the damn patrols to be over so he could head to bed.

Smirking, he thought of the brunette waiting for him back in his dorm. She'd obviously been bothered by their snog session, alternating between sputtering and glaring at him for the remainder of the evening until it was time to head out.

He'd much rather be back there, tasting her lips again. When he originally agreed to the deal he figured kissing Granger would be the worst, unavoidable part. He planned to just chalk her up as another girl he made out with, but this was different.

He definitely needed to kiss her again. Her smell was intoxicating, and he figured if he made her moan like that again he'd probably come unhinged. How Weasley _forgot_ who he was making out with was beyond him. Even when she was heated, Granger most definitely always sounded like herself.

Stopping at the next hallway, he groaned and turned around at the sound of hurried steps. Splitting off from the seventh year he was patrolling with had been a good idea, one he didn't regret now that he saw her there just behind him.

"Stalking is a crime you know," he grumbled, leaning back against the wall. Astoria stood several paces back from him, hands placed on her hips.

"Well if you weren't busy ignoring me all the time I wouldn't have to follow you," she chirped, stepping closer. He held back a groan, already seeing where this was going. "You're always so busy hanging out with that Mudblood slag you don't even look at me."

Narrowing his eyes, he lifted his chin and smirked. "You know I'm going to write you up for being in the halls at this hour, right?"

 _I should've done it when I saw you with Pansy. Technically it was my night to patrol, even if I missed it._

She pouted, crossing the space between them until she was but a hair away, their bodies practically touching. "I admire you, Draco. You're putting on a fantastic show. Really, a Mudblood? What, are you going to kill her at the end of this? Is it some cruel joke at my expense?"

"Astoria-"

"I mean really," she continued, her brows pinching together in the dim light, "we all see what you are doing. I know she's just an excuse to get out of our wedding, but why must you _torture_ me like this? Everyone knows she must've jumped right out of that blood traitor's bed and into yours."

"He confessed to the lie," Draco reminded, using the tip of his wand to push her back. She scowled, her expression darkening. "She didn't sleep with him. And you're one to talk. I don't understand how you believe we can be engaged _and_ sleep around with every bloke in our year."

"Poor little Granger also said he took advantage of her," Astoria cooed, ignoring his words as she reached out to touch his hair. He swatted her hand away, narrowing his eyes. "You trying to pretend you're a prince now? How can you act like some sort of hero when you know she's dirt?"

"What do you want Astoria?"

"You don't even know what really happened between them I bet," she continued, her eyes darkening. "Or you don't care. What, you need another girl to add to your collection before we get hitched?"

"We're _not_ getting married," he snapped, pushing off the wall. "I've made that clear to both you and mother. Whatever bullshit engagement you think we have is off. I'm not interested in being tied down to the likes of you."

"Yes we are!" she seethed, eyes widening. "We're promised to each other Draco. We're getting married."

"No, we're not. I'll never show up or sign any papers."

She screamed, spinning on her heel to storm around the hallway. The cry of anger echoed off the empty halls, fading into the distance. "All because of some Mudblood bitch you don't even like? Get your rocks off Draco. We _will_ be married in December!"

He took a step closer, smirking. "It has nothing to do with Hermione. I just don't like you."

"I can give you things she can't," Astoria argued, reaching forward. Her fingers brushed the crotch of his trousers. "I can do them better."

Jerking back, he pushed her hard enough for her to stumble a few steps away from him. "Of course you fucking can. You've had practice on every student in the bleeding school. Why would I ever want a wife who can't be faithful even before marriage?"

"But-"

He waved her off, already producing a detention slip. One shot in her direction, a copy disappearing to the Headmistresses office to review in the morning. "Save it, I really don't fucking care. Have fun in detention tomorrow."

She would not quit, running after him as he tried to finish his rounds. "Stop ignoring me Draco! I matter. I'm going to be your wife. I matter damnit!"

Draco spun around suddenly, causing the irate Slytherin to nearly run into him. She stopped just in time, holding his gaze. "No Astoria, you don't matter to me. You didn't matter to me when our parents made the agreement, and you matter even less now that you've let everyone have a taste. There's nothing special about you, nothing that you haven't already let someone try. At least when I touch her, I don't have to worry about how many diseases I might be catching."

Astoria's eyes flashed, drawing her wand. " _Draco-_ "

"And don't worry," he continued, turning once more. He waved behind him, a smirk rising up on his face again. "There's no competition between the two of you. She purrs for me Astoria, much better than you ever could. Trust me, I don't need you anymore."

 **A/n: So I know it's been a little while but I'm back! I even made sure to put some steamy moments in there to make up for my absence. Anyhoo, I'm officially married and back from my honeymoon now so I'm hoping to be able to properly focus on my writing once more. Until the next one dearies!**


	14. Chapter 14

Hermione tapped her fingers together nervously, leading Draco aimlessly around Hogsmeade. They'd been doing the same loop for about five minutes now, and she seemed unable to change their route.

Well, she was technically too distracted to think about the next store to hit. Her mind kept drifting back to the first twenty minutes they spent in Hogsmeade this afternoon, and the rather _unpleasant_ welcome they received.

" _You think it'll work?" she asked, bounding ahead into the square. Draco head been in a foul mood since last night, but she hadn't gotten him to admit to anything so far. Something happened in the corridors last night with Astoria, but he wasn't being an open book about it. She figured she could hassle him tonight when they had patrols together, and hadn't pushed the topic since. They had other things to focus on. "I mean for your mother and Astoria it will but-"_

" _Merlin's balls Hermione," he grumbled, catching her shoulder. The action managed to finally sedate her bouncy nerves, getting the girl to stand still for the first time since they left the castle. "It'll work on the Weasel too, alright? You'd get upset if you saw someone you liked making out in the bloody middle of town."_

" _And about that," she continued, holding up a finger as she looked around, "where exactly do you think this will happen? Like standing in the road or against a light pole or leaning on a wall or at a table-"_

 _He laughed, cutting her off. "Quit trying to plan it out. I told you I'm not saying, otherwise you'll spend all day trying to plan it out. Just go with it."_

 _She huffed, hands on her hips. "I can't just_ go _with it! I need to know so-"_

 _Draco barely hesitated, grabbing her shoulders to spin her to the left. "Don't overthink it. Weasley certainly isn't."_

 _Her eyes dulled as she stared across the square at the pair, watching Ron and Lavender sloppily lip lock for all to see. There was one reporter nearby scratching down notes, but no one seemed interested in photographing the make out session. Over a month had passed since their break up, and Ron's new relationship was no longer hot news._

 _Still, it didn't stop her stomach from rolling. Even when they did kiss, he'd never held her like that._

" _Let's go," she grumbled, her voice much more subdue than before. "You're right. I'll just go with it when it happens."_

Draco hadn't said anything about it since, but it didn't help erase the image from her head. It was just a kiss! Ron hinted that he'd done plenty more with Lavender so what was the big deal? Usually she thankfully didn't have to witness it. Lately the PDA examples were her and Draco, and she could at least be satisfied that they bugged Ron.

Now she was less concerned about where this took place, and hoped to Merlin Draco decided to do it the next time they happened past Ron. Reporters had not so subtly followed them throughout town since they arrived, their mere presence together enough to cause excitement. At least she wouldn't have to worry about the scene being missed.

"Quit moping," he said, nudging her with his shoulder. "We haven't seen Weasley since this morning."

"I didn't want to see him at all," she replied, sighing. Draco already explained before they left that Astoria almost never came to Hogsmeade unless she was looking to get drunk. Apparently there weren't enough decent shops there to even bother with, and since she had such a _strong_ reputation for her habits, it didn't take much wondering to figure out what she did with her time at the castle. "I was hoping he'd just see the newspaper headline like the others."

"It should be much more satisfying for him to witness it," Draco laughed, shooting her a grin. "It's always better to witness firsthand."

"Then shouldn't you want Astoria here?"

He cringed. "I don't need someone screaming my ear off on a Saturday. I'd rather just wait for the blowup tomorrow."

Despite herself she smiled, shooting him a knowing look. "She's going to just _explode_ when she sees this. She'll probably demand your mother moves the wedding to Monday."

" _No._ No. Don't say things like that."

Laughing she grabbed his hand and wandered on, her eyes skimming around the town. Only having the eighth years there made it a really calm afternoon, much less crowded than when everyone was released into the town. She actually enjoyed looking around through the windows of the shops without having to shove through a crowd.

She was almost feeling better. Ron couldn't discourage her from their decision to make headlines. His relationship… it had nothing on hers and Dracos-

Hermione almost tripped over her own feet at the thought. _Fake_ relationship. Why was she comparing them like her deal with Draco wasn't a rouse?

Lost in thought she didn't focus on the fact that they'd circled back to the main square in Hogsmeade, the reporters one step behind them. She didn't really acknowledge when Draco's grip subtly tightened on her hand, waiting until they were just past the building next to them before spinning her and dragging her backwards, their momentum stopping when his back rested against the brick.

She barely had a moment to acknowledge his tact, realizing he could've just as easily pressed her into the wall, but there was no telling what kind of reaction would elicit from her.

Draco's lips were just as soft as last time, the kiss starting off gentle enough that she could get her bearings before he intensified it. His hand came up to gently cup the back of her head, the arm at her waist tightening to draw her in closer to his body.

Hermione would be lying if she said she didn't like it, gasping quietly when his tongue danced across her lips. She slid her arms up and around his neck, far too pleased with their display.

No one ever held her like that when they kissed her, with such gentleness and finesse. It was both touching and exciting at the same time, the hand on her waist slipping under her jacket to rub soft circles over her blouse.

She completely forgot they were doing this for an audience.

Her hands tightened on his neck, dragging him in closer still. She felt his surprise when his hand on her back stilled for a moment before resuming its pace, his kisses becoming deeper and heavier. The hand on her head came down to her neck, his index finger flicking against the juncture of her neck.

 _This_ was the kind of kissing she always expected herself to experience.

Of course, good things never lasted.

Hermione shrieked when someone grabbed her shoulders, nearly ripping her out of the blond's grip. Draco's eyes shot open, hands managing to grip onto her and pull her back from whoever was trying to drag her away.

Draco spun her around, placing himself between her and the assailant. Hermione wasn't even surprised when her eyes landed on Ron, wand drawn and face red.

He just had to go and ruin the moment.

"What the _fuck_ ," Ron sneered, his eyes glaring between the pair. Hermione drew her wand, watching the blond man in front of her produce his as well. Usually Draco pushed Hermione to handle her problems herself, but not this time. He'd quite literally put himself in the middle.

Trying to catch her breath, she did a quick look around. It looked like more reporters came out of the woodwork, students and paparazzi alike suddenly gathered around the trio. Maybe Draco felt inclined to put himself in between them because of the news coverage, and the very obvious message it would send about his upcoming wedding, but she wasn't certain.

He was a puzzle, and she couldn't make herself believe that he only did this because of the crowd.

"Weasley," Draco replied, his shoulders tense. "Don't you have something better to do than intrude on _my_ girlfriend."

Hermione felt her eyebrows rising as her breathing steadied. They hadn't officially given each other a title in so many words, and Draco was _definitely_ making a statement right now squaring off with Ron. This might be more than she bargained for.

" _Yours_?" Ron seethed, attempting to sidestep Draco. He looked torn between fighting the blond and going after his ex. Behind Ron she could barely make out Lavender standing within the crowd looking crushed, but she couldn't care less in that moment.

She wasn't certain if she should be totally offended Ron thought he had some sort of ownership over her or if she should be touched that Draco was ready to defend her.

"Well you two definitely aren't dating anymore," Draco continued, his tone more controlled than the Gryffindor's. He leaned to one side, his posture not nearly as tense as his shoulders. Hermione could tell he was trying to keep his cool. They might want to make a scene but didn't want a blowout quite like this. "It shouldn't matter who she's kissing."

"She shouldn't be kissing someone like you!"

Draco chuckled, and Hermione could tell he was enjoying antagonizing Ron a little bit too much. She sincerely wished Harry came to Hogsmeade today, but she knew that he'd stayed back to practice Quidditch with Ginny. Maybe if the pair was there the situation would diffuse.

"At least I wait until I'm out of a relationship before kissing someone else," he retorted, his smirk growing as Ron's face continued to redden.

"What about your fiancé!?"

"What fiancé? I told Astoria multiple times we aren't together and we _definitely_ aren't getting married. Just because she wants to play dumb doesn't make it real."

Ron didn't look convinced, his glaring eyes focusing on Hermione again. "I knew you were a slag. You've been seeing him behind my back since the beginning!"

Surprised, she stepped forward. There was no way he could be serious right now. "Are you kidding Ron!? You were seeing Lavender behind my back! Don't turn this into something it isn't!"

She could hear the crowd muttering, the reporters going nuts as the floating notepads furiously scribbled along. "Don't bring her into this!"

"Then don't bother us!" she screamed back, moving up beside Draco instead of behind him. "You started all of this! We're not together Ron and I will kiss whoever I damn well please!"

Her words didn't seem to do anything to deter his anger, his fists clenching together as he glared at the couple. "No you won't! You don't get it do you? We're still going to be together!"

Hermione paused, thrown. She thought Ron was trying to get back at her, not get _her_ back. "Wh-"

"You can't say that to my girlfriend," Draco snapped, sounding offended. "You blew it Weasel. Grow up and get lost. She hasn't come crying back to you yet so what makes you think she will?"

Ron growled, oblivious to the people around him. His voice dropped, barely catching their ears and they were within a meter or two of each other. "Trust me Hermione, you will. I spent years getting you, I won't allow him to taint you. Don't worry, I'll save you from-"

She was prepared to listen to some misdirected declaration of love, but Ron didn't get a chance to finish his bullshit lies. One moment Draco was beside her, listening with about as much curiosity as she was, and the next he was several steps ahead and Ron was lying on the ground.

Blinking, it took a moment to replay the scene in her mind and realized he'd outright _punched_ him, the splintering sound of his fist connecting with the redhead's jaw echoing in the suddenly quiet clearing. His face was already turning red where Draco punched him, and for a moment it was quiet enough to hear a pin drop.

Hermione felt her jaw falling open a little. She really hadn't expected _that._

All at once the square erupted, reporters suddenly surging forward to question the pair. Lavender screamed for her Won-Won, rushing forward to comfort him as he cursed on the ground. Draco pocketed his wand, turning to her with a wink as he took in her stunned expression.

"Well, we definitely made an impression."

She hesitated before smiling, noting the way his body remained tense. Whether he actually intended to act like that was a mystery, but the fact that he put himself on the line was enough to make her feel better was a pleasant surprise. They were just supposed to stir the pot, not knock the whole god damn thing over with a fight.

"What was that for?" she breathed, moving forward as the crowd approached, her hand jutting out to grab his own and inspect it. The knuckles weren't even bleeding, his skin tainted red from the force behind his hit only. There was nothing she could do to erase the red hue, but she was more than a little surprised that his skin didn't even split.

Draco rolled his eyes, kissing the side of her head before he spoke. She didn't expect it, eyes widening as he pulled away. "I can't let him talk to my girlfriend like that, can I?"

She couldn't stop the surprised smile that blossomed across her face, unsure what to do with that response. The reporters were within earshot, asking questions that fell on deaf ears. Whether he said that truthfully or to draw the reporters attention she wasn't sure, but it caused unexpected butterflies to bubble in her stomach either way.

"N-no, I guess not."

"Ready to go back to the castle now?" he asked, holding out his arm. Hermione hesitated, glancing briefly down at Ron. Some of the reporters were focused primarily on him and Lavender, trying to ask questions even while the girl wailed about how _unjust_ the whole thing was.

From the look on his face, he wouldn't be getting up anytime soon, even if he was beyond pissed. That was something she would need to handle later.

Lifting her chin, she made sure she looked directly at Ron when she spoke. "Yes, I'd love to go back to our rooms now." Hooking her arm through his she grinned, the pair shoving through the crowd.

It took a little effort and a lot of wiggling, but they managed to separate from the horde at the edge of Hogsmeade. Reporters really weren't supposed to travel on the path back to Hogwarts, though that didn't stop a couple of strays from continuing to follow and harass them. No matter, they wouldn't be able to enter the grounds.

At the edge of town Hermione almost stilled, noting the amused looks of Blaise and Pansy as they leaned oh so casually against one of the buildings, clearly having witnessed the entire thing. Their mischievous eyes followed the pair as they left, Draco barely giving them a nod as they headed back.

Hermione was certain she would be hearing from one _or both_ of them before morning.

"What exactly are we going to do about this?" she breathed, ducking her head as she spoke. The chilly wind that blew by helped cover her voice, but she still feared the reporters might overhear. "This wasn't the plan."

"We're just going to have to figure it out," he breathed, the arm draped over her shoulders tightening a little. "Somehow."

 **A/n: And the drama goes on. We'll see how this goes for them in the next chapter! And maybe a little bit of drama when they go out for patrols. Let me know what you think, and I'm sorry for the delay.**


	15. Chapter 15

"So…"

He cleared his throat, wishing she wouldn't always feel compelled to talk about things. "So…?"

"Are you just going to keep avoiding talking to me about this?"

Draco glanced sideways at her as they paced the halls, patrolling. Saturday's could be some of the more interesting days to have a shift but it sure ruined any plans he might have for the evening.

Then again, since he was supposed to be spending extra time with Hermione he wasn't supposed to make wild, crazy plans.

Well… _supposed to_ probably wasn't the right way of phrasing it, but he'd definitely had a lot more subdue nights recently than he was used to.

Letting out a sigh, he slipped his hands into his pockets. They were using her wand to light the way anyway. "Do you mean punching Weasley? I already told you I don't feel bad."

" _No_ , that's not what I meant. I figured that out already."

"He deserved it."

"Ron didn't deserve to be humiliated-"

He stopped walking, turning to glare at her in the low light. "We already went over this. Stop caring so damn much if his pride gets hurt. Didn't he hurt yours?"

She huffed, looking away as she passed him by. "I mean, it's kind of… _rewarding_ that he got a taste of his own medicine-"

"You mean _very_ rewarding-"

"-but I didn't think it'd get so blown out of proportion so quick!" she hissed, eyes slamming back towards his. She was several steps ahead, looking at him like he'd snapped. "Harry and Ginny said the whole thing made the _evening_ paper. It hasn't even been twelve hours."

"You gotta admit though," he argued, smirking, "we look pretty great in the photos."

"That isn't the point!"

"Oh, come on," he whined, wiggling his eyebrows as he got a little closer, "they really caught _all_ of our good sides, even when we were in the middle of snogging."

"I remember what the photos look like," she grumbled, crossing her arms. He watched her cheeks reddening in the light of her wand, the blush traveling all the way down to her chest. "I saw them too."

"They even got Weasley's pained look after I decked him," he continued, moving close enough to throw an arm around her shoulders. "That has to be a little satisfying."

She hesitated. "A little."

"We can frame it if you want."

Hermione scowled, pushing him away again. Draco couldn't help the chuckle that escaped his lips, watching her stomp ahead once more with a pout. "We aren't doing that!"

Laughing softly to himself he followed, letting her cool down for a moment or two before he joined her step for step again. "Besides, you should be happy that it made the papers so quick. It's going to work great for both of us. My mother will have a cow-"

"My friends are going to think they need to institutionalize me-"

"-Astoria's head will pop off-"

"-Molly might actually _cry-_ "

"-I can make confetti out of those god awful wedding invitations-"

"-she thinks – no, _knows_ I'm the best thing that'll ever happen to Ron-"

"-my father might actually keel over in Azkaban…"

His voice trailed off, Hermione failing to interrupt him this time. He tilted his head, taking in her perplexed expression as they walked. "What?"

"I forget he got pardoned from the kiss," she muttered, dropping her gaze. "I know that's a terrible thing to say-"

"Save it," he argued, holding up a hand. "My father definitely isn't a martyr, and being granted life in that hellhole really isn't much of a saving grace."

She was quiet for a couple moments. "I guess that's true."

"However, it is wonderful knowing there are things I can still do to anger him. Blowing off my engagement is the very top of the list."

"Even in prison the Malfoy name can't be tarnished," Hermione mocked, her eye roll seeming even more obnoxious in the dim light. "I can't say angering your parents is on my list of _thing to avoid_."

He smirked, bumping her shoulder with his. "What about Astoria?"

"I can handle a whiny rich girl," she snapped, sounding offended. "Besides, she's kind of like Ron; all bark and no bite."

"Weasley picked a fight," he reminded. "He's got a little bit of bite. Didn't he start beating on you before?"

Hermione quickly shut up, her lips clamping together like a vice. Apparently he'd pushed too far, tipping her over the edge. They hadn't talked about Weasel's _indiscretions_ recently, but every now and then it popped into Draco's head.

Whatever he did couldn't be _that_ bad, especially since she managed to stand up to him so quickly afterwards. Draco believed he just needed to be put in his place, and he pushed a little too far before the Gryffindor went ahead and did it.

Still, none of that curved his interest in the matter. He was helping her get back at the git – and her part in helping him was _not_ a factor here – so he thought maybe he deserved the right to know… sometime.

She cleared her throat before speaking again. "Let's… focus on something else."

He couldn't help but sigh. "You still aren't going to tell me?"

"Draco-"

"I mean, you've already sort of kind of told me everything," he continued, raising his eyebrows. "At least everything I think I know about."

She bristled, their conversation obviously taking an unexpected turn. "And what exactly do you assume you know?"

He stopped walking then, turning to fully face her. In the light of her wand she tried to avoid his gaze, choosing to stare at the floor instead. He wouldn't have it, gently grasping her chin to drag her face up until her eyes finally flinted up to find his again. "Weasel couldn't keep it in his pants, got handsy, and left all those _darling_ marks on you for not putting out. Oh, and then he practically sprained your wrist the next day and tried to make you out to be a slut. Anything else?"

Hermione hesitated, and he wondered if she'd chalk up humiliation, stress, and self-doubt to her list of problems Weasel created. Instead she sighed, letting her eyes fall again. "Well, when you put it like that…"

Draco frowned, giving her chin a gentle shake. "I'm not downplaying it. I was asking since I really don't know. There's nothing else, right?"

"No."

"And that was weeks ago? He hasn't tried anything else since?"

She huffed, stepping back and out of his reach. "Yeah. He doesn't bother doing anything nowadays, other than getting mad. When I wouldn't put out, Ron didn't want me anymore. He just keeps threatening that he'll get back at me."

"About that," Draco muttered, glancing around the hallway, "any word on what that is exactly?"

"I have no idea," she admitted. "I only overhead part of his conversation with Lavender, and it was pretty vague. I really thought they'd do something by now."

"Maybe he could've avoided getting punched if he did," the blond replied, smirking to himself in the dark.

"I doubt that. You can be aggressive. I think it was bound to happen at some point."

His smirk widening, he scooted closer to her in the dark again. "Oh really?"

"It's just common sense. You can both be hot-headed, I figured it would happen sometime."

"So were you hoping for a fight?"

Hermione blinked, barely missing a beat before reaching between them and slapping him in the chest. "What? No!"

"It just sounded like it," he laughed, clicking his tongue. "Pity though. Now about you an Astoria-"

" _We_ aren't going to get into it!"

Sighing, he brushed his fringe away from his eyes, looking away from her. "Well that's disappointing. I'd love to see you lose your mind and-"

"We also aren't discussing this!" she squeaked, quickening her pace to walk farther ahead. He laughed, jogging to catch up.

"Oh come on! Don't you wanna-"

"No, no, and _no_. I'm not fighting that bint!"

"Why, because it would be too easy-"

"Ugh!" she cried, stomping ahead again. "Stop it!"

Draco laughed, leaving her be for a moment. This was just too much fun, and he didn't want it to end.

* * *

Hermione ignored the quizzical looks she received as she wandered to the library the next day with Ginny, her late night patrols having kept her in the dorm until nearly noon.

She'd end up beat red if she told Ginny _why_ she was indisposed for so long, but the ginger seemed to have her own ideas.

" _So, I hear Ferret Boy decked my brother. I'm not saying it wasn't deserved, but I'm a little mortified he went down that easy."_

She didn't beat around the bush about what she wanted to know either.

" _So, does he snog as good as those photos make it look? I bet he does that thing with his tongue-"_

"You still haven't told me how Malfoy rates on the kissing scale," Ginny said, interrupting her thoughts.

"It's been seven minutes."

"Seven minutes too long! Don't leave a girl hanging!"

Hermione cracked a smile, surprised how sensible Ginny was being about the whole thing. She thought her longtime friend would fly off the handle, demanding to know why she thought that Draco was a viable replacement for her brother, but Ginny did just the opposite.

To put it in her own words, she wasn't responsible for the poor choices her moron brother decided to make.

Blushing, she cleared her throat before speaking. "I'm not going to kiss and tell Gin."

"That's right! I didn't want to hear about your snog sessions with Ron, but Malfoy is a whole other story! He might be a git, but boy has a body-"

"Ginny-"

"-and I'm not blind!"

She resisted the urge to groan, not wanting to draw even more attention to herself. She'd already gotten enough questions since Ginny picked her up at the dorm, she didn't need anything else reminding the student body she let the Slytherin Prince snog her brains out and then _literally_ defend her honor.

Frowning, she decided she needed to do something to rectify that. Draco helping her out was a nice change, but she didn't need anyone thinking she needed a man to solve her problems. Ron, bullheaded as he was, couldn't possibly be done bothering her yet. She'd need to be prepared.

Before she had time to focus on anything else her gaze caught a storming figure, the approaching girl wearing a Slytherin tie over her leisure clothes. Hermione stopped, Ginny pausing at her side, as Astoria approached.

She just couldn't catch a break.

Ginny leaned in a hair closer. "Do you want me to beat her up for you?"

Groaning, Hermione shook her head. "No Gin."

"Are you sure? Ron might be a wuss, but I-"

"Mudblood!" the Slytherin girl shrilled, her voice bouncing off the walls. The few groups of people in the hallway froze, their heads swiveling around at the insult to observe what would happen.

Hermione stiffened at the age old nickname, eyes narrowing a bit. She'd long ago gotten used to being addressed so rudely, but it didn't make it any more pleasant. "Astoria. Do you need something?"

She scowled, stomping closer as her voice rose. "How _dare_ you touch my boyfriend!? We're getting married next month-"

"I seriously doubt that," Hermione interjected, gripping her books tighter. "He was comparing marrying you to being worse than going to Azkaban. He's hoping to tear up all the wedding invites and make confetti."

"Stop _lying_!" she screamed, gracelessly stomping her foot. "I don't know what you did to him, but you've somehow seduced him, and you need to take the spell off _right now_."

"If you're her only competition she doesn't need a spell," Ginny muttered, smirking when Astoria turned narrowed eyes her direction. "Oops, did you hear that? I figured since you miss how Malfoy always _complains_ about having to marry you that you just don't hear well."

"Ugh!" Astoria yelled, losing her cool. She drew her wand, the few girls who'd arrived with her making no move to help. "I'm so sick of slags like you trying to make a mockery out of my marriage! Draco and I have been promised to each other for three years! Our fathers promised with an unbreakable vow; there's no turning back."

Hermione couldn't help but frown. She wanted to point out that Astoria's father was dead, and Draco didn't seem to care too much about what happened to his, so the vow was a moot point if neither side upheld it. "But Draco doesn't want to get married. He said you basically sleep with anything that walks-"

Astoria snapped, drawing back her wand to cast a spell. Hermione anticipated that she would reach this point, shoving Ginny out of the way before abandoning her books to the ground, drawing her own wand as she jumped to the right.

She completely missed whatever spell Astoria cast as she spun around, her magic never coming close to its mark. Hermione drew back her wand, calculating what kind of fighter Astoria was. She wasn't completely stupid, but she didn't seem to be very practiced either.

Hermione didn't even have her wand drawn a moment ago. The shot should've been easy. She didn't have to use words to trick Astoria, tilting her head as she stared the girl down.

Because that's all she was, a _girl_.

 _Levicorpus_.

A self-satisfied smile slipped across her lips as Astoria was caught off guard, her ankles suddenly dragged out from under her as she was flipped around, her feet twisting around to the ceiling as she was dangled upside down. Surprised, she dropped her wand, the wood landing several inches out of reach.

"You shouldn't waste so much time trying to make someone love you who clearly doesn't," Hermione sighed, pocketing her wand again. Without uttering a word she had - quite literally - turned Astoria's world upside down. She brushed back her hair before looking towards her fallen books, her heartstrings tugging at the sight of such a dishonor. "If he cared for the arrangement he wouldn't be fighting tooth and nail to somehow get out of it. Unbreakable vow or not the choice is ultimately up to you two. If one of you is unhappy before you even say your vows then your entire marriage is going to be unpleasant."

"What do you know?" Astoria seethed, wind milling her arms as though it would allow her to grasp her wand again. Clearly, she didn't know any wandless magic. "You're just the big headed wonder that won't even go to second base!"

Ignoring the jab, Hermione moved back to her books again. "At least I don't put out for anyone with a penis."

Ginny snorted, successfully diffusing some of the tension that built up in the hall. Several other students snickered, Astoria's history doing nothing to fight the rumors. "I-"

"Have you ever thought that maybe part of the reason Draco doesn't want to marry you is because you've been sampled by every male between fifth and seventh year?" she continued, crossing her arms. After patrols last night Draco mentioned running into Astoria on Friday, and she was incredibly grateful to know that now. It gave her that much more ammunition. "There's no changing that now. You can't just un-sleep with people."

" _Granger-_ "

"And I'm still not sure why you think I'm just going to drop him," Hermione added, dusting off her books. She tightened her bag on her shoulder, meeting Astoria's eyes when she spoke again. "I know something good when I find it. There's no way I'm letting go now."

Astoria's eyes widened, the hallway going deathly silent. Smiling to herself Hermione let the spell drop, making sure to kick Astoria's wand down the hallway before passing by. She definitely didn't need a sneak attack with her back turned.

The girl remained in a heap for a few moments as they passed, her dark eyes locking onto Hermione's until she had to turn her head to go into the library, Ginny's gentle tug on her wrist enough of a warning to look away.

The entire time Astoria didn't move, holding her gaze with deadly eyes. Only once the library doors banged shut did Hermione take an audible breath, Ginny giving her shoulder a comforting squeeze.

Astoria may not have acted right then after being humiliated, but that definitely wasn't the last of her. Pooled within her gaze was only one single emotion, one Hermione knew was explicitly aimed at her.

 _Rage._

 **A/n: Hope you liked it! A little bit of romance and drama there for you. And what's this? It's only been six days since my last update? Oh at last I finally got back to weekly updates! Hopefully it lasts. R & R and see you next chapter. **


	16. Chapter 16

Hermione met Draco's eyes over the coffee table, smirking at his panicked look.

"Should we open it?"

The red envelope hovered ominously between the pair, Narcissa's elegant handwriting scrawled across the front. Hermione half expected to receive something like this from the blonde woman, she was just surprised the turnaround took less than twenty-four hours.

Draco just looked appalled to have received one at all. She wondered if he'd just been blocking the possibility out of his mind.

"It's not going to be pleasant," he argued, arms crossed. His eyes focused on the letter, as though he could cause it to catch on fire with his glare. "I'm sure by now she's heard about your catfight with Astoria yesterday. That blabbermouth probably turned tail and whined to _mummy_ , who undoubtedly told mine."

Eyes widening, she sputtered at the very mention of the fight, failing to catch the second half of what he said. "It wasn't a cat fight!"

"You turned her upside down for mouthing off."

"She tried to hex me!" she argued, narrowing her eyes. "It's called not being stupid."

"You've obviously never seen her fight," Draco grumbled, a smile pulling at his lips. Some of the venom in his gaze faded, leading Hermione to believe the majority of his hate stemmed from his parents – more specifically, _Narcissa's_ – expectations of the arranged marriage. "Besides, you not so subtly declared your love for me."

Hermione felt a blush rising on her cheeks. "It wasn't love! I was trying to tell her I wasn't letting you go! I can't just let her walk all over me. We're supposed to make it believable, and if I don't get offended that she's telling me to back off then I'm being a terrible girlfriend."

He laughed, shaking his head as she spoke. "You could've used different words. A couple make out sessions don't add up to love. If you aren't careful you'll start sounding like Brown."

"Ugh!" she cried, stomping in frustration. He was really trying to distract her from the topic. Pointing towards the letter again, she continued, "You better just open the damn thing. We both know it'll get worse the longer we wait. I doubt your mother sent you a letter to yell at _me_."

He cringed, hesitating before reaching for the red envelope. "Don't say I didn't warn you."

The moment the envelope snapped open, little paper teeth forming a mouth, the letter began speaking in Narcissa's tone. Her voice was just as pinched and upright as Hermione expected:

" _Draco, you ghastly little devil! How dare you shame the family name! I saw those photographs of you soiling yourself with a bleeding Mudblood. Your father will roll over in his cell in Azkaban when he hears about this!"_

Hermione reached out, flicking Draco's hand away from the howler when he attempted to snatch it back at the word 'Mudblood'. Watching his expression, it didn't look like he'd take the rest of the letter any better.

She was just surprised he reacted that way, and without any hesitation.

" _Have you forgotten his vow? Your marriage to Astoria Greengrass is a blood promise! The unbreakable vow will not forgive for so carelessly throwing away this engagement. Your father will pay the price!"_

Her ears perked at that news. What vow?

" _This may not be the marriage you wanted, but it is the marriage you're going to have! You will marry Astoria on the eighteenth! I don't know how we will ever reconcile the scandal you've created, but we will have to brush it off if we want the wedding to go on without a hitch. Think of your father's life! Avoiding the wedding won't stop the promise. Until you wed another, the vow is not broken, and I won't give him up so you can go sleep with that filth!"_

Hermione watched the vein in his temple beginning to bulge, wondering if he'd manage to listen to the whole thing without howling back.

" _You need to stop messing around and disrespecting the Greengrass girl. She's suffered enough by losing her father, don't you want to avoid the same fate? I know you're just spending time with the Mudblood so you can sleep with someone who you don't care about, but it's time to cut ties. You'll be a married man soon enough, and even if you aren't faithful in the future you cannot start your marriage that way!"_

Eyes widening, she took a moment too long to run the last sentence over in her head. That couldn't actually be how Pureblood marriages worked, could it? She accidently missed the beginning of the next part of the letter.

" _-end this foolishness! Your first duty is to your family, not to your animalistic needs! We both know she is not someone you could ever have a future with; stop destroying the Malfoy name! You will be at the Manor on the eighteenth for the wedding. You wouldn't want to let your poor, lonely mother down, and I know you aren't the kind of man to stand up his to-be wife."_

The letter shredded itself after that, red envelope and off-white parchment floating down past the coffee table onto the floor. Hermione remained quiet for a moment as she mulled over the letters words in her mind, trying to make sense of it all.

Purebloods sure had some weird expectations of their children.

How could anyone be so cold to their son? She thought Narcissa had a nice side since she saved them during the war, but apparently that notion was misplaced. She must've only down it to try and spare her only son.

Barely a few seconds after the letter destroyed itself Draco spun on his heel, drawing her attention as his fingers reached up to grip his short locks. She could practically feel the tension in the room rising. "Fuck!"

Blinking, she tried to reason with him. "What-"

"She couldn't be anymore _ignorant_ ," he interrupted, seething as he paced in a circle around the living room furniture. "How can she lecture me about this shit and not realize Astoria is even more faithless?"

"Uh-"

"And why is she using my father like I fucking care?" he continued, speaking right over her. "I know he won't die just because I don't marry her. There's no set time for when we have to tie the knot. It won't kill his sorry arse until I actually marry someone else, and that won't be happening anytime soon."

"Draco-"

"How can she not see that I don't fucking care?" he screamed, turning to pound his fist into the hall. He barely missed the mirror hanging there, the hit still hard enough to shake the poor thing off the wall where it crashed into the floor. "Why is she so insistent that I marry that hag!?"

" _Draco_ ," Hermione growled, finally startling the Slytherin enough that he came out of his daze. Jerking around he seemed to recall that she was in the room, shaking out his hand as he glanced at the shattered mirror on the floor.

"Hermione."

She scowled, pulling her wand out of her pocket as she crossed the room to him. "First of all, stop destroying things while you're mad. That's a god awful habit to have."

"A what?" he asked, just as she waved her wand to remove the destroyed mirror.

"Second," she continued, slipping her wand away again as she gave him a pointed look, "Don't let what your mother said get under your skin. Obviously everything she said is intended to push your buttons."

"Or make me feel guilty-"

"Yes, that too I'm sure," she interrupted. Thoughtfully she tapped her chin, thinking of all the angles Narcissa tried to hit. "She's pretty determined that you're going to the wedding on December eighteenth."

Draco scoffed, looking at her like she'd gone mad. "Well obviously."

"Yeah…" she let her voice trail off, thinking over everything the letter said. Clearly he wasn't in the right headspace to be doing this, and with December eighteenth fast approaching sitting around being angry wasn't the best option.

There was one idea she had, loony as it was.

"You could always go to the wedding," she said uncomfortably, glancing awkwardly at the ceiling when his eyes shot daggers her way. "Not to get married of course."

"Then why would I even bother going? I'm trying to avoid this."

"I know, I know," she agreed, tilting her head when she looked his way again. "Just hear me out."

Draco blinked, looking uncertain as he studied her for a couple moments, trying to make sense of the perplexed look on her face. Deciding to give her a chance he backed up until he bumped into one of the chairs behind him, slumping back into it.

"Fine. Go ahead."

Hermine gave him a small smile, suddenly very glad her biggest problem was making Ron _jealous,_ but she wasn't actually trying to escape him.

Anymore anyway.

"I think you should go to the wedding," she said, forcing her train of thought to halt. Getting distracted by her own problems wasn't the point right now. "Your mother won't listen to reason until she talks to you."

"She's not exactly a reasonable person."

Ignoring him, she decided to push on. "I'm not saying go and get married when it's clearly not what you want to do. But maybe showing up and telling your mother and Astoria that you aren't getting married, period, will help drive the point home. If you do it in person, in front of a bunch of people, it's harder to ignore and play off."

His eyebrows nearly shot up past his hairline. "You think I should play along? Astoria will know something's up then, and mother will probably sense it too."

"Well-"

"Plus how am I supposed to pretend to be your boyfriend then?"

She frowned. "It's not like we have to stop our charade. Clearly they are both ignoring it anyway. We'll just keep it up, try to avoid them for the next several weeks, and then you can show up on the eighteenth and ruin everything."

Looking unconvinced, Draco shook his head. "That sounds horrible."

"Well making a scene obviously didn't deter them," Hermione huffed, shuffling back to the sofa. "So you're going to need another plan."

"I'm just planning on not going to the wedding," he replied, arching an eyebrow. "It's just as obvious that I don't want to get married if I don't bother to go. They can't make me leave the school."

Waving a finger at him, she shook her head. "Now you sound like you're running from your problems. Didn't you lecture me for doing that? You can only hide out until school is over in May, then you'll have to go someplace else to keep avoiding them, and I doubt your mother and Astoria will just give up out of frustration. You need a better solution than that."

Pouting, Draco sat back in the chair. "I'm not running."

"Well you aren't fixing it either."

He grew quiet, pouting as he folded his arms. She studied him, watching the gears turn in his head. After several moments he smirked, focusing on her again. "Fine, maybe you have a point, I have to face this head on. I'll go to the wedding in December."

She smiled, feeling a sense of accomplishment. "Good, I'm glad you see my reasoning."

"Hold on," he corrected, the smirk widening as he sat straighter in the chair, "I'm only going on one condition."

Feeling a sense of dread settling in her stomach, Hermione almost feared asking. "What condition?"

"You have to come with me."

 **A/n: I hope you enjoyed it! I'm kind of having fun getting these updates out so quick. I don't know if that will change with Christmas coming… but we will see. R & R. **


	17. Chapter 17

The day started just like any other, until Hermione got confronted on the way to her first class by her least favorite ginger.

Why, why did Draco have to have a chat with Pansy this morning? Ron wouldn't come within ten meters of her if he was around, she was sure of it.

"Can we talk?" he asked, barely keeping pace with her. She quickened her steps, hoping he'd get the point and just butt out instead of pestering her.

"Why?" she fired back, refusing to look his way. A couple people shot them looks as they wandered through the halls, Saturday's argument heavy in everyone's mind. "I have nothing to say to you."

"Well I have things to say to you," he replied, narrowing his eyes.

"Funny that you decided to confront me when Draco isn't around. A little afraid now that he put you flat on your ass?"

Ron blinked a couple times, surprised by her wording. "No, Ferret Boy's little tap didn't hurt me at all."

"So you're screaming was all for show?"

He ground his teeth together, finally stepping in front of her to cut her off. "Would you just listen? I'm trying to apologize."

Hermione frowned, certain that was not what he was doing. People who felt sorry for their past actions usually didn't get angry when trying to talk to you. "I doubt that. What do you really want?"

"To talk."

"You can talk until I get to class," she replied, stepping around him. "Then I'm going to get ready for the lesson. Don't even think I wanna sit with you."

"No, you want to sit with fu-"

"Ron, get to the point."

He scowled. "I'm sorry for how things went between us. I'm sorry I was mean to you-"

Hermione stopped walking, spinning on him. " _Mean-_ "

"-but you don't have to throw yourself at Malfoy," he continued, crossing his arms. "I'm sure I can help with whatever he has on you-"

"He doesn't have anything on me," she snarled, clenching her hands. "You're the only one who ever tried to hold anything over my head." She stepped closer, getting in his face. "Draco's never threatened to lie about me to my friends and turn me into a slut."

"No," Ron bit back, "he's making you into one firsthand."

Her eyes widened, reaching for her wand. Her fingers were around the wood when she saw Draco behind him rounding the corner with Pansy. The blond's eyes widened when he saw the pair, immediately picking up his pace.

Without turning, Ron seemed to know he was coming. "I should've moved faster."

She narrowed her eyes, wondering what that was supposed to mean before he was shoved back from her, the Slytherin's arm coming to rest around her shoulders. Despite the ruse she immediately felt more at ease, finding satisfaction in Ron's burning eyes.

"Moved faster with what?" she asked, speaking before Draco could. "I thought you wanted to apologize."

Ron's lip twitched, but otherwise he remained unchanged. "Another time," he argued, shooting Draco a glare. "When we're alone."

"You're deranged if you think she wants to be alone with you," Draco added, tightening his hand on her shoulder. "Why don't you just tell us now?"

He looked the pair over, and while Hermione knew he wouldn't consider telling both of them what was on his mind she wondered what he was doing. They'd already gotten into a fight once, and she didn't imagine he'd want to go at it again so soon.

Scoffing Ron turned away, immediately walking over to Lavender who was approaching the classroom. Hermione missed whatever he said to her, turning her attention back to Draco. "Perfect timing."

"He doesn't take a hint does he?" the blond asked, shooting her a look. "He's almost as bad as Astoria."

"I think Astoria is worse," she argued, bobbing her head. "Ron isn't obsessed with marrying me."

"That you know of," he grumbled. "No, he just wants to sleep with you."

Hermione blushed at the idea, remembering only a few weeks ago when that's exactly what she wanted given enough time. "I really thought he just wanted revenge."

Draco shot her a look, his fingers subconsciously rubbing her shoulder. "You do notice how Weasel looks at you, right?"

She frowned, thinking of how she'd found Ron's looks endearing until recently. "Yes, I guess? I didn't think there was anything wrong with them."

"Yeah, when you were dating," he argued, "but it's weird when you've broken up, especially given he was way too rough. Don't you find the staring creepy?"

Biting her lip, she debated if she should admit that or not. "Kind of. I mean, it didn't used to bother me but with everything going on it is a little… creepy."

"Exactly," he agreed, pulling her a little bit closer. "What did he want to talk about anyway?"

"I have no idea," she admitted, letting her arm slip around his back too. "He wasn't making a lot of sense, he just said he should've moved faster."

Draco arched an eyebrow, but she was surprised by the concern that graced his features. "Maybe that's his long-delayed plan."

"Maybe," she agreed, a frown pulling at her lips. "Weren't you talking with Pansy?"

"I told her I'd see her later."

Hermione felt her eyebrows rising. "Pansy passed up the opportunity to witness drama?"

He laughed. "Trust me, she's got plenty enough to work with right now. Come on, we should get to class."

She let him lead her towards the door, surprised how comfortable she felt pressed into Draco's side. When he became a sense of comfort for her she wasn't exactly sure, but it felt empowering to have someone supportive to lean on. He'd support her in any decisions she made, and hopefully they were the right ones.

* * *

Staring, Hermione tried to find the right words. "Pansy… we don't talk."

"We've talked a couple times," she argued, observing one nail. "And I've definitely talked with Draco about your charade. Which reminds me, when are you two gonna pay me back for getting Astoria out of your hair a couple days ago in the halls?

Suppressing a groan, she leaned forward. Less than five minutes with the Slytherin girl and she could already feel a headache coming on. "Okay, we can talk about that two. But I feel like that's not why you wanted to talk."

"The private room is a nice benefit," she continued, glancing around the dorm room. "I definitely prefer to talk here than anywhere else."

"Uh-huh."

Leaning forward, Pansy pulled a vial out of a pocket in her robe and placed it on the table. "I pickpocketed that from Weasley earlier. I could tell he was playing with something all day."

Frowning, Hermione picked up the vial. It was a light purple color, and offhand she wasn't entirely sure what to make of it. "Do you know what it is?"

Pansy smirked, crossing her legs tightly as she gave her a triumphant grin. "Well I know Draco just about had a fit when he saw Weasley with you earlier – which by the way, was absolutely adorable. I've never seen him get so worked up over one person."

"Astoria," she groaned, setting the vial down again, "get to the point."

Huffing, the girl crossed her arms. "I don't completely know. I overheard Weasel grumbling about it to himself earlier, and then to Lavender, and then after he made Lavender mad. I think he called it ékstasi. He kept going on about a trace."

"It causes a trance?" she asked, picking up the vial again. She wasn't familiar with this type of potion, but she'd never had much of a reason to use it before either. "That's what he was saying?"

Pansy shrugged. "It's what he was saying to Lavender. You know when you two aren't around he really doesn't pay much attention to his surroundings. I sat in the alcove listening for nearly a half hour. I dunno what kind of trance he has in mind, but you should be careful. I don't know if it has to be digested, smelled, or applied to skin. If that potion is for you then you better be careful."

"It has to be," she grumbled, thinking back to the loose ends of Ron's so-called plan. She hadn't figured out much since overhearing the conversation, but obviously he had just as little concern now as he did a couple weeks ago about keeping his agenda secret.

Then again, that didn't seem very accurate. When she'd overheard Ron and Lavender talking it sounded like he was trying to humiliate her. But a trace? Sure, it might be able to humiliate her in certain ways but she didn't think this really tied in to that.

Why else would he be talking about her and trances in the same sentence unless they were related? Whatever Pansy overheard was different than what she learned last time and she wondered what changed in his mind.

He hadn't tried to touch her earlier, which was something she'd halfway expected. Whatever Ron was playing at she didn't get it. Clearing her throat, she decided it was time to change topics, keeping the vial clenched in her hand. "Did you tell Draco?"

"Hardly," she laughed, bouncing her knee. "I just overheard him not long ago, and I wanted to come up here and tell him but you'll do just as well. Don't get tricked by him Granger, or he'll take you down."

"I'm aware," she ground out, feeling her annoyance building. If he'd just hurry up and get out of the damn shower this wouldn't be her problem. "I have no intention of letting my guard down around Ron. I don't know what he wants-"

"Honey I'll tell you exactly what he wants-"

"-but I'm not waiting around to find out," she finished, dropping her gaze. Really, Pansy was nice when she wanted to be, but she could push some buttons.

Tapping her long nails against the arm of the chair, many moments passed before Pansy spoke again. "So are you afraid he'll beat you again?"

Hermione's head snapped up, eyes widening at her bold statement. "W-what?"

"Beat you," she said again, arching an eyebrow. "That's why you babied your wrist for a couple days and kept touching your eye. Oh, and you started wearing exceptionally modest tops, even by your standards."

She stared, unable to believe what she was hearing. "Ron never-"

"I'm pretty nosy," Pansy interrupted, her gaze hardening. "Don't think I didn't notice how stiff you got whenever he would approach right after you broke up. Hell, I saw you flinch once or twice."

Cringing, she wondered if she was that obvious to everyone else. Holding Pansy's gaze for several moments, she debated if the girl was really lying.

Then again, she knew all the correct body parts. Unless Draco filled her in she shouldn't be that observant.

"It only happened twice," she grumbled, setting the vial aside to clench her hands. "I'll never let it happen again."

Interest peaked Pansy sat forward, her eyes sparking and her mouth slightly agape. "Oh my god, you're serious? He really raised a hand to you?"

Hermione felt her heart sinking. "You didn't know?"

"Ha! That was all guesswork. I just assumed from everything I've overheard. Draco doesn't usually confide in me, and honestly the best I get is a little juicy gossip here and there. I didn't think you'd actually admit anything!"

She jumped up, suddenly feeling cornered. Hermione knew Draco told his friends a little bit about what all was going on, but now she was unsure what all he'd decided to share. "You tricked me! Don't tell anyone-"

"Relax," Pansy replied, holding up a hand. "This is more my own personal interest than anything. With the way Draco looks after you I'm sure Weasley doesn't have a chance."

"Yeah," she agreed, trying to sound confident. All she could think about now was that Pansy figured everything out on nothing more than some well-done guesses. Was it that obvious to others? She didn't cower whenever Ron came around, but she definitely kept him away from touching her. Maybe her cover story wasn't working out as well as she thought. "But I can take care of myself."

"Well clearly you know how to make how to make a fool out of him," she laughed, the lake incident flying through her mind. "Don't look so upset. I figured something bad had to happen for you two to come up with this plan to begin with. I just never thought you'd take it so seriously. That kiss in Hogsmeade honey, you two had everyone flustered from it."

Hermione blushed, feeling her irritation egging away into pure embarrassment. Pansy really knew how to poke all the right places to get a rise out of her, and she knew it too. "Do you want me to check on Draco? He should be done showering soon."

Not that she'd ever knocked on the bathroom door to see how he was doing before.

Laughing, Pansy shook her head. "Please, if he'd just gotten in when I arrived I know it's going to be a while. Draco's notorious for taking long showers."

"After living with him for two months I can agree."

She smirked, leaning back again. "I told Blaise you two are too perfect. It's hilarious that your lie is actually becoming real."

She paused, giving Pansy a strange look. "Real?"

"Well, duh. Everyone can see it in your eyes. You two look at each other differently than you did in the beginning. That's probably part of what makes Weasley so angry."

She didn't know what to say to that, staring at the pretty, dark haired girl for another several moments. "Uh, it's not real. It's for show, remember? I know Draco's told you that."

"Sure, sure," she agreed, getting up from her seat. "Keep telling yourself that. You'll see what everyone else does soon enough."

Hermione tilted her head as she left, shooting her another look over her shoulder. She actually forgot to ask Pansy about the vial, picking it up moments after she'd left.

She shouldn't think about what the Slytherin said too much. If it looked that believable to other people then they were doing a good job selling it to people. There was nothing else to it.

Right?

"What's that?" Draco asked, surprising her as he came into the room. She glanced up from the container, watching as he ran his fingers through his damp locks.

"Pansy dropped it off. She wanted to talk to you but you took too long showering."

Frowning, he glanced towards the front door. "So she didn't want to wait?"

Shrugging, she shook the vial in her hand. "She gave me this. Apparently Ron was going on about it earlier, and she pickpocketed it off of him."

"Do I want to know how she did that?"

"I didn't ask," she admitted, turning on the sofa. "She thought Ron had a plan with it."

"Oh?" Draco asked, looking mildly interested. "Is he going to try and finally do something?"

Patting the seat beside her, Hermione rolled her eyes. "Come on, sit down. I'll fill you in."

 **A/n: So, because this chapter refused to come to me, I now have a couple drafts of future chapters as the content I kept writing about seemed too distant in the future so I gave up.**

 **Also, I want to let all of my readers know I have officially signed with a self-publishing company to help produce my first original novel, which I'm hoping to publish in June 2019 (tentatively). So if you're interested please keep me in mind! My understanding is the book should be available worldwide, so I will be delegating a lot more time to that than anything else. If you're interested in seeing my original work stay tuned and I will keep everyone informed! Until next time.**


	18. Chapter 18

Draco screwed up his face, attempting to keep from smirking as she strode out in the third outfit of the day, all her previous attempts failing. "Like this?"

Snorting, he shook his head. "I said sexy. _Actual_ sexy. Make his head spin."

Huffing, Hermione stamped her foot. "I'm trying here. What exactly was wrong with what I was wearing?"

"It was the school uniform."

"I undid the top button."

Laughing, he fell back into the sofa. "That doesn't work when it's what you wear every day. You're supposed to make him jealous."

Frowning, she crossed her arms. Since the beginning, she didn't changed much of her look. She still dressed the same as when she was with Ron, and her conservative nature kicked up an extra notch or two with the high necklines and every inch of her legs remaining covered.

Draco didn't particularly care what she wore to be comfortable, but if she didn't show a little something she'd never start feeling like herself. Unless she was in one of the school uniform shirts she didn't wear short sleeves, letting layers cover the skin she was uncomfortable with.

He knew she didn't need to look cute to go on a walk across the grounds, but it might build her confidence. Weasley still had her doubting herself, he could see it in her eyes whenever they had a confrontation.

He didn't like it. There was nothing special enough about the Weasel that he should still have her doubting herself weeks later. It was the middle of November for Merlin's sake! She should she able to flaunt a little bit and not be so self-conscious.

Sure, he didn't expect her to throw on some stilettoes and a micro-mini, but even something that showed the top of her arms and chest would do.

Tapping his collar bone, he smirked. "Try something that dips lower than that."

" _Why_? It's November. It's cold outside!"

"You'll have a coat on," he laughed. "It's more of a personal confidence booster anyway."

Hermione rolled her eyes, coming to join him on the sofa. He wasn't about to try and convince her to change out of the denims, but he had a feeling she owned _something_ with more sex appeal.

And after their little discovery yesterday, he wanted to push Weasley over the edge. Whatever he thought he could get away with wasn't going to happen, but the moron was just sneaky enough that they weren't certain what he had in mind. Draco knew from experience that if he got mad enough he'd become irrational, and that's when he could strike him down.

"It doesn't matter what I look like," she sighed, stretching out beside him, "Ron's only interested in me when it suits him. Besides, it's not fun having his attention anymore."

Frowning, Draco studied her. Briefly his eyes moved to the turtleneck ( _turtleneck!_ ) she'd put on this last time, wondering if she was just trying to spite him now. "Aren't you still trying to make him jealous?"

"Of course," she laughed, looking surprised when he doubted her. "Ron's not getting off that easy. It's just not as fun anymore. Draco, Pansy thinks he's trying to drug me. There's no love in something like that."

"No," he agreed, "there's not."

"So I'm still going to get back at him for treating me like dirt," she continued, frowning. "He deserves it."

"Yeah."

Draco figured she was going to say something more, go on about why he deserved to be humiliated and insanely jealous. Instead she lapsed into silence, her eyes pulling downward again. Apparently she wasn't in the mood to share anymore, and he'd learned by now unless he had to know something it was easier to let her tell him when she was ready.

Reaching over, he fingered the top of the turtleneck. "You aren't going to wear this are you? It's a horrible color."

"It's red!"

"Horrible."

Hermione grinned, a knowing look flashing through her eyes before she stood. "No, I guess I won't be wearing this. I have something much better in mind."

* * *

Despite the cool wind, she refused to close her coat. So far she hadn't seen Ron or Astoria this afternoon, though she wasn't surprised with the threat of snow lingering in the air.

Still, she couldn't close the jacket. She'd decided to wear an old green t-shirt, nothing special really. But it did dip down to reveal a hint of cleavage, the worn material a little more see-through than she would normally go for. It was immodest by any means, but it was the most revealing thing she'd worn in weeks.

Plus, watching the mirth sparkle in Draco's eyes when she threw it on was more than a little rewarding. She couldn't force herself into something she wasn't comfortable with, but she got what Draco was hinting at. She needed to show Ron that his comments about her and his mistakes didn't ruin her own self-image.

There weren't very many students out, but still enough that if someone had to ask people could report the pair walking together. That was really all they needed, and with snow coming it would be difficult to flaunt their relationship in the school.

"I'm betting on at least two hundred," Hermoine said, her hands stuffed down in her pockets. Draco's eyes widened, looking at her like she was loony.

" _Guests?"_

"It's not like they want to keep the wedding quiet," she replied, shrugging. "Given what I know of Narcissa and Astoria, they will invite everyone they think is important."

"So two hundred?"

She grinned. "That's my conservative guess."

He groaned, picking up his pace. "Couldn't I just propose to you? That would shoot this wedding plan right in the arse."

"That might be a little premature," she laughed, the wind picking up as they walked. "Harry and Ginny agree that Ron should be punished for being a miscreant, but I think they might come unhinged if we decided to get married."

"Hey, people get hitched overnight all the time."

"Yeah, but _we_ wouldn't," she replied mischievously, arching an eyebrow. "We'd have to be exceptionally drunk to convince anyone of that, and people would probably twist that the wrong way."

"Undoubtedly."

"We should just bide our time a little longer," she concluded. "Astoria is a vain girl. If she finds someone more alluring she'll ditch you in an instant, no matter your mother's protests. If she isn't onboard with the wedding Narcissa has no real pull, and Astoria mum doesn't seem particular on who she marries so long as it's to money."

He smirked. "Perceptive, aren't you?"

Shooting a look over her shoulder, she grinned. "It's one of my many talents."

They hadn't been outside very long, and with the wind picking up they wouldn't stay or chance getting stuck when the snow fell. She knew she was taking a chance catching a cold wearing her coat open, but it felt so nice to not be completely covered she didn't know what else to do. When they got inside who knew if her courage would cripple with more eyes on them as they passed. If she was feeling daring she would just go with it right now, and deal with the rest later.

As they neared the forest edge an idea came to her, glancing over her shoulder at the nearby students. There were enough clusters around that someone was bound to notice if they were mischievous.

Despite herself, she grinned. Being mischievous with Draco could be lots of fun.

Grasping his arm before she lost her confidence, she smiled as he turned and fixed her with a confused stare. Shifting so her face was obscured from onlookers, she nodded to the trees. "Let's slip in there."

Draco smirked, following her as she stepped just past the forest edge. "Are you sure you want that kind of rumor going around?"

"Something's bound to come from it," she agreed, slipping in with a smile. "Come on."

They only walked for a few minutes, Hermione leading him as her heartbeat picked up. She knew they weren't actually going to do anything, but it didn't stop the unexpected butterflies from dancing in her stomach. For some reason walking with Draco had her nerves on end, but not in an unpleasant way.

They weren't going to do anything, so she couldn't fathom why she was flustered.

"This is probably far enough," Draco said, stalling her movements when he shifted to lean against the tree. "If we stay in her for a little while and mush our hair it'll definitely give people something to say."

Grinning, she found herself glad he liked her idea. "We just need to make sure we go back before it gets too cold or no one will see."

"Right."

They fell into silence, and she found herself unsure what to say to him for the first time in a long time. Usually they brainstormed, or talked about whatever ridiculous thing that most recently happened. But now they didn't have anything new to address, and without anyone else around or their own personal items in their room to distract them it was hard to fathom what they should do while they wasted time.

Clearing her throat, she found her hands gripping the sides of the open jacket. "You're going to get cold."

"I'm fine," she argued.

"Zip it up if we're going to be out here," he replied, a frown pulling at his lips. "No one else is around to see you right now."

She huffed, rolling her eyes. "I guess."

"Don't sound so disappointed," he laughed, shaking his head. "It's kind of nice to not have to put on a show for once. Acting a certain way can be taxing all the damn time."

Right, _acting_. Hermione had no idea why that bothered her so much, even though that was the agreement from the start. Her fingers clenched on the jacket, suddenly feeling stupid as they stood there. What the hell was she expecting them to do while they wasted time?

Why did she even come up with this idea?

"Hermione?" he asked, drawing her out of her thoughts. She glanced back, surprised to see his concern. "What's wrong?"

She pressed her lips together, wondering what was wrong indeed. Leaning against the tree next to him she sighed, shaking her head. "Nothing. I uh, I didn't think about what we're supposed to do back here."

"Why do we have to do anything? No one can see us unless they followed."

"True," she grumbled, refusing to say anything more. She had no idea what was wrong with her, and being upset about his comment made no god damn sense. It was her idea to use Draco to begin with!

Of course it was acting.

Still, she wondered what it'd be like to kiss him again, outside in the real world. Everything they did was for show, except their practice make out session in the dorm.

Clearing her throat, she figured she could handle another rejection, but sitting nervously in the cold wasn't something she wanted to do.

"We can do something," she said, pushing off her tree to stand in front of him. He raised an eyebrow, studying her. "I – I mean, it's cold…"

Hermione almost cringed, hating the way her self-doubt showed through in her wavering voice. Even when they were alone she didn't have enough courage to do something with him. Before she could step back he grasped her arm, gently dragging her forward until she was pressed to him, the gentle rumble of his laugh shaking her torso.

"You don't have to ask."

She found herself leaning in first, their lips colliding just like the last time. For one reason or another she found herself unable to get enough of him, even if she never understood why. Draco's arm's wrapped around her waist, dragging her to him as they kissed.

He was warm, surprisingly so. Already she felt warmer, letting their lips dance together as her arms wrapped around his neck once more. It was just like that time in Hogsmeade, only now there was no audience, and Ron wouldn't be around to ruin the moment.

Hermione gasped when he nipped her lip, her eyes almost dancing open before they slammed shut again, his hand finding its way beneath her open jacket to rub once more against the back, over her t-shirt.

She found herself wanting to repay the gesture, attempting to nip his upper lip as well. Draco didn't gasp like she had, a deep groan slipping out of his lips instead. She stilled at the sound, her eyes slowly opening to try and read him.

She'd never gotten anyone to make a noise like that, even Ron. He always believed her actions were too hesitant, and demanded more submissive gestures.

Looking into Draco's eyes, she could see a distinct difference in the two men. The silver of his eyes was brighter than normal, the hand on her back now clutching at the material instead of rubbing over it.

Panting he leaned in, brushing his lips over her earlobe. "Trust me?"

Hermione's heartbeat quickened, wondering what Draco could do to her. He'd never done anything to cause her to doubt him now, but giving him her trust like that was new. Without an audience, there wasn't necessarily anything around to stop him.

But she found herself unafraid of him. "Yes."

Barely catching the smirk on his lips when he pulled back, he kissed her lips before shifting the kisses to her cheek and along her jaw, causing her hands to tighten behind his neck. She could feel her skin becoming feverish despite the cold, her eyes widening as he shifted from the side of her face down to her neck.

Hermione gasped, as he kissed down the side of her neck, his other hand reaching up to massage her shoulder. She could feel her tension there, the way her shoulders remained stiff.

"Relax," he groaned, the hand on her back dipping beneath the fabric, "and trust me."

She gave in when he caused another gasp to slip out of her lips again, her head lulling to one side as he kissed on her neck, nipping lightly at the juncture of her neck and shoulder. Gasping a little louder her nails dug into his neck, surprised he could get her to feel so much without actually touching her.

It was just his mouth. He hadn't done more than rub the skin of her lower back, and he definitely wasn't dipping lower. It was amazing what one could feel when their partner paid attention.

Hermione moaned again when he nipped her once more, a little harder. She was beginning to pant, feeling strange as her skin heated. The hand on her back was moving, shifting –

And just like that, Draco stopped. Her eyes shot wide when he suddenly jerked his head up, something she couldn't focus on catching his attention. Her brain felt murky as she looked up at him, seconds before he spun them around and pressed her into the tree.

Eyes shooting wide, she panicked and reached for her wand. One of his hands came to press over her mouth, the other placing a finger to his lips as he peered off to their left, his attention diverted.

She still when she realized he meant her no harm, but wondered what the big deal was. So what if someone saw them, wasn't that the point?

"…heard something," a voice said, catching her attention. Her eyes widened, realizing somewhere nearby, Ron was lurking. Draco shot her a look before staring off into the trees again, his hand leaving her face a moment later when she'd gone quiet.

"Shut up you twit," Astoria replied, her voice faint. Hermione's fingers immediately searched for her wand, feeling a wave of panic at hearing both those voices _together._ "It's fucking cold out here. No one else would be dumb enough to be out."

"Right," he said, the soft crunch of fallen leaves and rocks seeming to echo around them. "Did it work?"

"I haven't even gotten to try! _You_ were supposed to make sure she was too high to be in the way."

"I can't just drug her in the middle of the school," he seethed, their voices getting a little louder. Hermione couldn't imagine where they were with two-thirds of the forest barren before the snow. They couldn't be that close if neither party could see each other. Her heart clenched at his words, suddenly thankful Draco had yet to shift away from her. "You should be doing something about Malfoy. I can't get near her if he's there."

"It's not my fault!" she hissed, her voice quieter than Ron's, like she was worried about being heard. "He doesn't want to go anywhere with me! I can't distract him."

"I thought you were going to get Pansy to."

A scoff came, before Astoria continued, "she won't help me. She thinks I'm up to no good."

"You're trying to get your husband back."

"Yeah, but it's so…"

The voices grew quieter, the steps fading away. Hermione had half a mind to try and follow them but remained where she was when her eyes met Draco's, the same thought passing between them.

"They shouldn't be together," she whispered, just as he pushed off of her. "Merlin Draco, what could they be planning now?"

 **A/n: Sorry for the cliffhanger! I'm hoping to get another chapter out in a week or so, but we will see. Right now I'm sick so I'll be going to sleep before I crank out anymore chapters. Thanks for reading and let me know what you thought! I even got a little bit of romance in there for our lovebirds…**


	19. Chapter 19

Hermione glared at the back of Ron's head, purposefully sitting on the opposite side of the room and a few rows back. He was with Lavender, as per usual, though their body language was all wrong. They were leaning away from each other, and Hermione could swear she kept spotting Lavender glaring at him.

If she looked just one row in front of them, she got the joy of watching Astoria gush over Theo, who looked positively horrified at the entire prospect. It was kind of funny, though having the girl so close was more than a little unsettling.

Draco sat beside her, patting her hand affectionately as they listened to the lecture. They hadn't figured out anything else yesterday from the pair, and eventually went back to the dorm as the storm moved in. She wished she had a better idea what the two were planning and why Ron wanted to drug her, but she just didn't.

He couldn't be that desperate, could he? He had Lavender, it wasn't like people were ignoring him. There was no reason to take such measures.

It kept her on edge, and her shoulders hadn't eased once since they sat down. Draco was a little less uptight than she was, though she assumed that was because he wouldn't mind getting into another fight.

He definitely hadn't been relaxed yesterday on the way back inside, swearing up and down about what he would do if Ron tried even one little thing.

But staring straight ahead, Hermione wasn't sure if Ron or Astoria was a bigger threat. Ron was somewhat distracted by his relationship, but Astoria was infatuated with Draco and had a ton riding on their upcoming wedding. When push came to shove, she was more likely to get aggressive with her tactics.

She wasn't stupid; Ron got physical with her before, and there wasn't a specific reason why he wouldn't get violent and forward again. She just didn't think he'd do it without a push.

And she'd almost put money on the push being Astoria.

She tried to focus on what the bimbo was saying, flirting with Theo off and on throughout the class. It was a blatant attempt to make Draco jealous, and she could see the terrified look in his eyes whenever she leaned closer. Although Astoria was passed around more than most of the supplies in class, Draco two best friends seemed unwilling to dip into the girl their mate was engaged to.

It didn't seem to make her any less determined to try. At least Astoria only had one class with them, but it was enough to make Hermione's eyes roll.

By the end of class, she was pretty sure Theo would give up an arm to get away from her. Hermione waited until after the bint passed them before turning to Draco, noticing the mirth in his eyes as Theo fled.

"You don't think that's funny, do you?" she asked, eyes widening as she collected her things

"Astoria's been trying to score with Blaise and Theo for over a year," he replied, grinning. "They've adamantly avoided her, and I can't say I blame her. She's definitely not someone I would ever want to be stuck alone with."

"You don't say."

Draco shrugged, grabbing her book bag before she could. "Even if we weren't engaged, Astoria holds way too much of a grudge to mess with. I wouldn't chance it."

"Mhmm."

He smirked at her as they left, dodging her attempt to snatch her bag back. "Uh, no. Gentlemen carry their girlfriend's bags."

"You've never done that before."

Shrugging one shoulder, she watched his eyes follow Ron's profile as he walked down the hall with Lavender. "Sometimes I need something to occupy both hands."

Hermione decided it was smarter to not push the subject, letting the topic drop. Instead she clasped her hands behind her back, walking a little bit closer to the blond. "I want to go back to the library tonight."

"That isn't surprising."

"To our spot," she laughed, shaking her head. "I miss going with you."

"The last time we went we fell asleep."

She blushed, giving him a shy smile. "Then we need to do something to stay awake."

* * *

Draco stared down at their intertwined fingers, trying to figure out how he got himself into such a strange situation. Making out with Hermione wasn't a strange thing anymore, and although it was a prominent part of their deal he didn't have any qualms doing it. Kissing her was almost addicting, and when she suggested they go back tonight he couldn't lie that it got him just a little bit excited.

But this wasn't what he had in mind.

"So, in conclusion," she continued, pointing with the one hand he hadn't confiscated, "I think if we follow the plan we should have Astoria well and devastated before your wedding day."

"But I still want you to come with me," he pouted, watching the gentle blush appear again. It was similar to the gaping response he got when he asked her.

He'd never forget that, it was simply too priceless.

" _You have to come with me."_

 _Hermione froze, nervous laughed, and then ran a hand through her hair before spinning away. "I w-what? You can't bring a date to your own wedding!"_

" _You wouldn't be just a date. You're my pretend girlfriend."_

" _That's worse! You aren't supposed to have a girlfriend when you're engaged."_

 _He shrugged, wiggling his eyebrows as he took a step closer. "Most people aren't trying to get out of their engagement either."_

" _No Draco, no. I'm not going to a wedding full of bigoted Purebloods! I'd like to live through December eighteenth."_

" _I'd keep you safe," he joked, backing up when she tried smacking his chest. "Promise!"_

" _I'm not going," she laughed, shaking her head as she continued to evade him. "No way."_

" _It's the only way I'm going."_

 _Hermione laughed again. "With a date?"_

" _Yup."_

" _To Malfoy Manor?"_

" _Of course. Mother would never allow the wedding to happen anywhere else."_

" _Oh, of course," she agreed, circling the couch. "And what exactly would I have to do?"_

 _He shrugged, following her slowly. "Just be there. The media will run with it."_

" _Oh, sure. Do I have to dress like one of those side women?" she asked, wiggling her eyebrows back. "You know, with one of those tragic red dresses with the slit to my hip."_

" _That would be hot. Yes, you definitely need to look like that."_

 _She froze, apparently unprepared for a response like that. "It was a joke! I would never dress like that."_

" _Nope, you suggested it, now you've got to look like that Hermione. I will accept nothing less."_

 _Laughing, she stopped on the other side of the couch, her hands pressed into the arm of the sofa. "Okay Mr. Malfoy, if we can't ruin your engagement by then I'll show up as a 'lady of the night'."_

 _He smirked, leaning forward as well. "It's a deal."_

He wondered if she even remembered that now. It would definitely spur the excessive planning again.

"I'd still prefer to not end up in a house full of snakes," she replied, drawing him back to the present when she squeezed his hand. "And angry snakes at that. Stopping a wedding is no small feat."

"Eh," he responded, rolling his eyes, "it'll be more entertaining."

"Sure."

He watched her lay out a few more hasty ideas she'd scribbled at some point in the day, a collection of papers stacked neatly in her pre-decided order on how things _could_ happen. Beside the space were several books she planned to read at one point while they were there.

Draco had already cast aside his sweater and the one schoolbook he'd brought along, planning on dozing once more. It might not be the best idea since last time he'd had a nightmare, but he couldn't stay up reading in such a cozy space for that long.

There were other, much more pleasant things he'd rather be doing, but Hermione needed to set the pace. This was the closest to a bed that he'd probably ever get with her, and he figured this was the most dangerous place to push boundaries. If she was going to relapse, it would happen in this space.

And he didn't want to ruin it for her. Weasley already scared her away from the library once, he wouldn't be the reason she was afraid again. Closing his eyes, he decided he could at least doze.

"Draco?"

One eye popped open, glancing at the brunette beside him. "Hmm?"

She smiled, the gesture lighting up the dim space. "We could do something else."

He smirked, standing up a little straighter. "Could we?"

She scooted a bit closer, almost cuddled into his side. Draco waited to see what she planned to do, her fingers coming to brush across his chest.

He found her adorable, even now. There was always something hesitant about her actions, no matter where they were. Even the brazen kisses they shared in the halls were a touch restrained, like she was keeping one final guard up in case things went south.

It was like she thought he'd still turn on her and do something horrible, but Draco couldn't stomach the thought. Like it or not he had formed a bond with Hermione, one not soon forgotten.

She wet her lips before kissing him, her body slightly bent over his. "Kiss me like you did yesterday."

He cocked an eyebrow, eyes dancing around the cozy space they were in. "You sure?"

Hermione pouted, leaning forward to kiss him again. "I wouldn't ask if I didn't mean it."

He smirked, taking the invitation. He reached out, pulling her flush into his chest. They'd been pressed together in the forest yesterday, so he figured pulling her into him wasn't pushing bounds. His lips locked onto hers in the same, somewhat frenzied make out session as yesterday.

Draco never got as far as he expected to. Something kept happening to stall any progress, and while he wouldn't say he had a specific goal as to where he was willing to go with her, doing a little more than kissing definitely had it's appeal. After spending so much time with Hermione he knew she could turn heads when she wanted, and he'd be lying if he said he wasn't interested.

She sank into his side, one hand resting on his hip. He entertained her mouth, distracting her with kisses while he slipped a hand to her lower back, the other coming to rest on her shoulder, twirling a piece of hair.

Her response was almost immediate, her breathing picking up as she shifted closer, the hand on his hip clenching the fabric. Her breathing increased and she partially took over, quickening the kisses to open mouthed, sloppy attempts.

She got hotter, and he could tell he was getting to her. He slipped his hand beneath her blouse to her lower back, keeping it still when she froze for a moment.

When she resumed, he assumed it was okay to rub the skin there. Trying the same thing as yesterday he used the hand by her head to grab her chin, holding her still so he could trail kisses across her skin and down her neck again.

Hermione gasped once more when he sucked the skin there, applying more pressure than he had the previous day. The setting this time was much more intimate, and the low lighting had his mind going a million places it shouldn't.

This was an agreement, that's all it was. Seducing the girl that came to him for revenge was probably the worst idea he could come up with, but it didn't stop him from continuing his attack on her next, sucking and licking the sensitive skin there.

She was gasping, a little louder than yesterday, and he could feel her body reacting to him. Her breasts were pressed farther into his side, and she'd slung a leg over his at some point. She was opening herself up to him, dangerously so, and he wondered if she acknowledged it at all.

Testing her limits he slid his hand up the back of her blouse. She stiffened but didn't stop kissing him, the hand on his chest clenching tight. Her breathing became more labored, and he could feel her panic beginning to grow.

He detached himself from her neck, kissing her cheek before he pulled back to study her face. Her eyes were closed, but she didn't look as frightened as he thought. "You can tell me when to stop and I will."

"No," she said, shaking her head. Her hand relaxed against his chest, and he waited until her breathing evened out again. "I-I'm okay."

"No you're not," he laughed, pulling his arm out of her blouse. He placed it back outside the fabric again and she almost immediately relaxed, the tension in her shoulders disappearing. He smoothed his hand down her back until she opened her eyes, the disappointment heavy in her gaze. "I told you to tell me to stop."

"I didn't want you to," she replied quietly, trying to pull back from him. He tightened his grip, continuing to soothe his hand along her back.

"There's no reason to rush," he said, the words sounding strange. They weren't actually dating, so there wasn't anything to really rush. Unless she was trying to prove something to herself, what they were doing played no part in the deal. And he didn't think they should be messing around, however fun it was.

Still, he'd feel guilty if he made her feel pressured. That wasn't something he typically had to deal with, but Hermione wasn't one of the typical girls he'd be seen with anyway.

She was quiet for several moments before responding. "I guess so."

"Come on," he said, trying to lighten the mood. He bumped her with his knee, causing her eyebrow to raise. "What are you planning on reading?"

Hermione laughed, her eyes brightening at the topic change. "You seriously want to know?"

"Of course. I'm sure it'll be a different set of books tomorrow with the way you read so yes, I'm interested to know what you are looking at today."

Shaking her head, she grinned as she turned away and grabbed the books, whatever discomforts she had a moment ago forgotten. Draco smiled as her mood shifted, her comfort levels with him unaffected by the brief moment of uncertainty. He couldn't exactly explain how he felt as he rubbed her shoulder, watching the glee in her eyes as she started talking.

This was nice, even if he couldn't explain what they were doing. This shirted the boundaries of their deal, touching outside what they agreed to do. But if she wasn't going to bring it up, neither was he. He'd be a fool to ruin a good thing.

 **A/n: A little bit of fluff, like the calm before the storm. Let me know what you think! I had a tragedy in life and my hard drive/flash drive that housed the majority of my writing was destroyed (including a good chunk of my novel). So, I'm kind of bummed but wanted to push out this chapter since it's been about two weeks. Thanks for reading, and when my mojo picks up I promise to push another one out.**


	20. Chapter 20

The following day Draco sat beside her in class, lazily playing with her fingers before the lesson started. Hermione giggled when he acted foolish, laughing when they shared quiet jokes.

Astoria wandered by, purposefully running her hip into their desk before the lesson began. She gave Draco a sultry look as she passed, biting her lip before making her way to her seat, bending unnecessarily before sitting down a couple rows in front of them.

Draco made a motion like he was gagging himself, and she almost burst out laughing when the lesson started. It was nice to joke around.

As they were leaving, he caught her hand and kissed the knuckles. She stopped packing her supplies, turning to meet his eyes.

"I made a reservation for us in Hogsmeade," he explained, kissing her hand once more. "Tomorrow night. Come have dinner with me."

She grinned, wiggling her eyebrows. "And where exactly are we going?"

"I can't tell you, it's a surprise."

The pair spun when a snapping sound caught their attention. Astoria was standing towards the back of the room with Ron, like they were waiting for the duo to leave. She'd snapped the quill in her hand, her eyes full of hate as she stared at them. Ron looked angry as well, but the emotion behind his eyes did not match the depth of Astoria's.

Draco turned away, shooting the pair a glare as they finished packing their things. It wasn't until the duo left that Hermione decided they should leave as well, grabbing Draco's hand again.

"Why do they have to keep this up?" she groaned, leaving the room with him. "It's not like anything's changed in the last week."

"They're jealous," he replied, smirking. "Don't read into it too much. Weasley isn't going to try anything."

She glanced his way, looking uncertain. "And Astoria?"

"I'll take care of her."

* * *

Hermione smiled as she finished her last class for the day that Friday. Usually she didn't like to see class end, but she was looking forward to her night with Draco. They were supposed to sneak off towards Hogsmeade for what would hopefully be a not too obvious night.

They were supposed to be dating, right? There couldn't be any harm in going out together, even if it did make her heart flutter at the thought.

Without Draco to accompany her, Hermione fled the classroom fairly quickly. She'd had butterflies in her stomach since yesterday when he brought up the idea, and despite herself she felt a little nervous.

She never went on actual dates. It would be a new experience.

Hermione took the stairs rather quickly on her way back to the heads dorm rooms, her mind set on what tonight would bring. Draco offered to pay, something he didn't have to do but would keep up appearances. She felt like he wanted to do it not just because of their agreement but because he actually wanted to take her out.

She had to be overthinking things, but this agreement was working out completely different than she ever imagined.

Whispering caught her attention, and Hermione paused in the hallway just before the heads dorms. All she had to do was turn down the corner and walk less than ten yards to the dorms. Usually no one was up here.

Instinctively, she glanced around, fingering the handle of her wand. The sound was too quiet to pick up on who was talking or what they were saying, but she could tell it was the whisper of voices. Someone was in the hallway, someone she couldn't see.

A coil of dread wrapped itself around in her stomach. Something felt wrong. Deciding standing there was a poor idea she turned, heading to the room before something could happen.

Hermione grunted, running directly into something she couldn't see. Her hand wrapped around her wand as she stumbled back, prepared to draw it at the unknown attacker.

Coughing, she grew startled when something was blown in her face, a dainty hand appearing from nowhere. She took a step back to try and get out of the haze, her eyes watering at the powder.

She didn't get a chance to retreat, a hand striking out before she could move. One moment she was coughing, the next she found herself blinking in the floor, feeling disoriented and confused.

A blurry figure came into her line of vision, and despite herself Hermione was certain it would be a head of ginger hair. Her eyebrows drew together when the figure above her appeared to be a female, her curls falling over her shoulders as she bent over.

"I told that moron it wasn't hard," she ground out, her voice distorted as Hermione reached for her head. "Come now Granger, we have work to do. Time to give him a real show."

* * *

Draco glanced up from the sofa where he'd been sitting, debating if he should go find Hermione for nearly ten minutes now. Sometimes she got caught up in the hallways and was late, but today was exceptional. When she came through he expected a flourish of sighs and immediate discussion of the onslaught of schoolwork she felt she had to complete that weekend.

Instead he sat a little straighter, watching as she almost methodically dropped her bag by the door and walked towards him, her steps evenly measured and pace. He wouldn't usually notice except for the extra care that went into placing her feet perfectly in front of each other, just so, like she couldn't do anything else.

It was almost like she was forcing herself through the motions, and he felt his nerves stand on end. Something felt off, something he couldn't place.

She placed her hands neatly on her lap when she sat on the sofa beside him before meeting his gaze, speaking clearly, "I want you to have sex with me."

If he'd been drinking something he might have spit it out, completely thrown by what she said. He laughed, shaking his head at her bizarre actions. Something had to be wrong. "You're joking."

"No," she said simply, scooting closer. Draco felt his eyebrows shoot up, her actions quite unusual. Her brows drew together like she was concentrating, and peering at her hairline he noticed little beads of sweat. "Please? Right now?"

He frowned, reaching out to place a hand on her shoulder. She immediately meowed at him, and he just about jumped out of his skin at the sound.

Who the fuck _meows_? He stood up, sensing something very wrong with her actions. She followed him along, her eyes appearing vacant as she watched him.

"Please? You were right, this is what I wanted."

"I never said that," he replied, stepping back again when she approached. Whatever was going on this wasn't the same, shy girl he'd been making out with for weeks. She would never, ever, openly ask for something she'd been avoiding. "Hermione, what's going on with you?"

She shook her head, something flickering in her eyes that disappeared just as quickly. "This is what I want. I want you to see the real me."

Draco frowned. That didn't sound like a normal sentence. Her hands were beginning to shake, and he realized it took her effort to stand there. He reached out and grabbed her exposed wrist, dropping it a half second later when she moaned at the contact.

 _Moaned_. Like she did when they were kissing and pushed too far. It was the same noise she made that made him want to jump her bones.

She fell down on her knees before him, eyes wide and desperate. He couldn't tell if the vacant look from before was purposeful or if touching her skin woke something up.

Her eyes were wide, distant. She looked terrified when she spoke again. "Please Ron, I promise I'll do it right this time."

Her words were like ice washing over him, and immediately Draco's guards came up, reaching forward to rip the girl up off her knees and set her on the sofa again.

There was no fucking way she mistook him for the Weasel. Something was very, very wrong.

Hermione moaned again at his touch, her eyes looking as terrified as they had moments ago. She shook her head, wiggling around when he tried holding her still. "I'm not Weasley."

She shook her head, continuing to squirm. Draco frowned, finding the two actions conflicting. If she knew, then why did she saw that?

As she twisted in the light he caught something, the barest dusting of powder against one cheek. He let go of one of her arms to touch it, letting her continue to moan on the sofa.

It was odorless, that much he could tell without bringing it too close. He rubbed the powder between his fingers, noticing how fine the texture was. Whoever made it took the time to make it perfect.

And from what he knew about Weasley's skills, potions were not among them.

"What happened?" he asked, pulling back when she tried killing him. She was somewhere beyond drugged, and if he gave in and kissed her it would only serve to backfire later.

Besides, there was no way in hell he wanted to kiss her if she thought it was Weasley.

Moaning, she attempted to touch him. "Please! Please? I promise I'll be good this time."

His stomach rolled at her words, a feeling of nausea overtaking him. No way was she in her right mind. She couldn't possibly go from wanting Weasel to stay away to begging him to fuck her in a matter of hours.

Absolutely no way.

His mind zoned in on something Hermione relayed to him earlier that week. Pansy said it, but he wouldn't soon forget the words: _He kept going on about a trance_.

Staring at her now, he could believe she was under a trance. The powder on his fingers confirmed it. But how she managed to come back to their dorm instead of actually going to Weasley, much less how she could look afraid while influenced, was something he didn't understand.

Reaching for his wand, he tried to block out Hermione's voice. He'd come unhinged if he listened to her beg Weasel one more time, and he needed to make sure she was alright before skinning the bastard alive.

* * *

"I think she'll sleep it off now," Pansy admitted, closing the door to Hermione's room. Draco hadn't been able to go in, the girl still completely oblivious to the fact that he wasn't Weasel.

Tugging his arm away from Blaise, he shot the trio a glare. He wanted them to come upstairs and help him with Hermione so he could go find that ginger twat, not so he could sit around waiting on Pansy to try and subdue her.

"Stop glaring at me," Pansy continued, filling the space when Draco didn't say anything. " _I_ didn't drug her."

He took a deep breath, attempting to quell his anger. "Can I go kill the bastard who did now?"

"Don't you think the Golden Wonders are gonna get upset if you storm into the Gryffindor commons to kill Weasley?" Theo asked, sitting in the armchair. He'd also gotten the pleasure of trying to keep Draco in the room while Pansy worked.

"And why exactly didn't you call them instead?" Blaise continued, frowning when Draco attempted to leave again.

"If they're going to lose their shit I'd rather Hermione actually be awake for it," he seethed, shoving past the Italian. "Now if you don't mind I have something to take care of."

Pansy jumped in his way, holding up her hands. "How do you know Weasel drugged her?"

Draco's eyes widened like she'd grown a second head. "Because you're the one who showed me the vial he was going to use to do it last time!"

Holding up a finger, she nodded. "Exactly. If he drugged her he would've had her right then and there. She's out of it and touching her drives her senses insane. She wouldn't have gotten away."

It didn't do much to calm his anger, but Draco did mull it over. "You don't think he did it."

"I think you would've seen the aftermath and not the foreplay if he did," she reasoned, arching an eyebrow. "Someone else did it and wanted her to go find him. It would crush her that much more if she willingly sought him out."

Draco growled, the idea having him see red. "Well if he didn't fucking do it, who did?"

Pansy hesitated, glancing at the duo behind him. Draco spun around, glaring at the three. "Who!?"

After a moment's pause Theo shrugged, holding up his hands. "Only one person would get something out of ending your relationship, mate. And she's hell bent on that fortune."

Draco's eyes widened, the answer painfully obvious. He grabbed Pansy and gently moved her out of the way before storming out of the dorm, letting the door bang on his way.

"She'll pay."

 **A/n: I'm torn over this chapter. I like the content, the execution is so/so. However this is the direction I wanted to go so I'm pleased. Let me know what you think! I'm trying to get the next chapter out here soon.**


	21. Chapter 21

"I'm not really sure why we're coming along mate," Theo admitted, jogging behind the blond to keep up. "I can't hit a girl."

"I didn't ask you to hit a girl."

"I get along with Daphne well," he continued, matching pace with Blaise. "I never realized Astoria flew that far off the handle."

"Drugging your competition is a new twist," Blaise agreed, his tone lighter than the others. "She's a determined little twit, isn't she?"

Draco spun, glaring at the pair just as they reached the Slytherin dorm room. "Don't give her credit."

"What exactly are you going to do?" Blaise asked, meeting Draco's eyes a moment before the head boy spun around, opening the commons with a flick of his wrist. "The old bat will come unhinged if you harm another student."

"I'm pretty sure I used the words pay," he ground out, glancing at the clock as the trio entered. He held up a hand, spying the snide girl across the room. She was sitting with Millicent, who looked somewhat terrified as the brooding man approached.

"There you are Drakey," Astoria cooed, twirling a piece of hair around a finger. "I knew you couldn't stay away from me."

"Astoria," he seethed, keeping his voice low. It was just past eleven, but there were enough people in the common room to cause rumors if they made a scene. "What did you do to her?"

She bit her lip, rolling her shoulders as she attempted to give him a sultry look. It was evident she was trying to seduce him, reaching out to stroke his arm. "Oh Drakey, nothing at all."

"Liar," he snarled.

"You're talking about the little Mudblood," she continued, pulling her hand back to drag the digits across her cheeks. She met his eyes, letting a finger slip between her lips briefly before pulling it out with a pop. "I'm sure she'll be a changed person when you see her again."

He bent forward, barely restraining himself from hexing her right there. Her wand was held in a lazy grip but he wouldn't underestimate her, not after she somehow one-upped one of the better dualists in the school. "Hallway, now."

Astoria's eyes widened hungrily, a large grin splitting across her face. "Whatever you want darling."

Ignoring the way her words churned his stomach the same way he ignored the mildly disgusted looks of his friends, Draco spun on his heel and marked back out the way he'd come. Blaise followed immediately after, cutting in before even Astoria could make it out the door.

"Uh, Draco-"

"Just make sure we aren't interrupted," he scowled, pointing to the nearest dead-end hall. "And stop me if I try to kill her."

Blaise shot his friend a concerned look before pulling back, grabbing Theo's robes when he managed to make it out of the door. Astoria perked up when she noted the pair wasn't following, clasping her hands together in front of her chest as Draco lit his wand, guiding them down the hallway.

"Finally decide you wanted some alone time, hmm?" she cooed, immediately pressing her back into the wall once they passed the second door. "Tired of playing with a little virgin baby?"

Draco arched an eyebrow, using the lit tip of his want to keep her in place. He knew it wouldn't be immediately be hot on her shoulder, and would keep her away from him for a few moments. "What the fuck did you give her?"

Astoria pouted, tilting her head to the side. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Jolting forward, he slammed him hand into the stone by her head. "Liar!"

She didn't jump, almost purring at the sudden act of violence. Her entire body trembled, and she wet her lips again. He realized she was getting off on this and pressed the wand further into her skin until she hissed.

"What?" she purred, one hand coming up to toy with the buttons on her blouse. "Upset your little Mudblood harlot gave it up to her ex?"

Draco sneered, bending closer to her face. "She didn't _give up_ anything! She came back to the dorm and called me 'Ron'. He wasn't anywhere near her."

Astoria's sultry actions ceased, the light in her eyes dying. " _What?!_ "

"What did you give her?" he hissed, growling. "I know it was you; you just played your hand. Whatever the intention, it failed. He won't get the chance to hurt her."

Her eyes grew cold, and she grasped his wand in her hand in an attempt to break it. Draco grabbed her blouse, pulled her away from the wall to shove her back, breaking her hold on his wand.

"Looks like she fought it off for now," Astoria hissed, anger evident in her tone. "But don't worry, that won't last long. The magic will stay until she _sates_ her needs. And don't worry, Weasley should be more than willing to play."

Draco's eyes flashed, leveling his wand at her chest while she drew her own, glaring into his eyes. "I'm not going to ask again Greengrass; what did you do to her?"

"Greengrass?" she mimicked, feigning hurt. "Is that any way to treat your future wife? There's a little over three weeks left Draco; and I'm not giving up."

"We're not getting married."

"You don't have any say in the matter!" she screamed, eyes going wide. "You will be my husband!"

"I don't think so."

Astoria sneered. "Wouldn't you like to know the cure so your little virgin doesn't frolic off and demand the Weasel take her? That would really be a tragic end to the story, wouldn't it?"

"I'm not a moron. You aren't an all-knowing witch. There are plenty of other wizards who surely have the cure to whatever you gave her, or at least a counter. I'm not here to barter with you."

She stamped her foot, looking petty. "Well, boohoo. Guess I'll just have to wait for Weasley to hunt her down instead. If he knows she's willing he won't hesitate."

Draco silently thanked himself for leaving Pansy behind, conscious that the pair may have a plan in case Hermione somehow ended up back in the dorm. "She's not willing if you've drugged her, she's just delirious. It's rape."

Astoria waved a hand, looking completely unfazed. "Whatever. It'll happen either way until she sleeps with him. That's the counter to the spell."

His hand tightened on the wand, fighting down the urge to blow her bloody head off. "She won't be sleeping with him."

"Oh, sorry," she mused, the dark glint in her eye unwavering. "You should've corrected my wording. I meant fuck."

He lost his composure, leaping forward to grab Astoria. She didn't fight him off, grinning when he grabbed her neck, slamming her into the opposite wall. She gasped in pain before moaning, rocking her body into the wall. "Tell Weasley the deals off."

Astoria gasped again, reaching out to play with the buttons on his shirt. "Just like that, baby. I do like it rough."

He scowled in disgust, immediately letting go of her. She sank back against the wall, pouting when he put space between them. Half a second later Blaise appeared, not looking nearly as concerned as he should. When Draco's eyes lifted to his, he shrugged.

"All you said was don't let you kill her."

Astoria moaned again, the sound grating on his nerves. He took several deep breaths, reminding himself that beating her to death wouldn't solve all his problems. Tilting his head, he narrowed his eyes.

"Where did you think she was going to go?"

Laughing, she shook her head. "What, you didn't figure that part out? Well, where it all started of course. May as well finish the memory, right? But don't worry, this time he planned on using your spot."

Draco snarled, Blaise's hand shifting to hold his shoulder. He didn't need to go after her again. "How do you know about that?"

"Oh, Weasley's been watching a while," she replied, nodding along as she stroked her neck. "He was insanely jealous the first time he saw you two going in together. He's almost certain you've slept with her now. But I can see that nothing's changed. She's still too sweet and innocent to have been deflowered, and in a library at that."

"And you were going to send her there," Draco continued, clenching his wand. "While she had no idea what was going on."

Astoria shrugged, showing no remorse. "It'll be good for her to lose that stick up her arse. Maybe she just needs a good shagging."

Draco started towards her again, stopping when Blaise held him back. "She's safe, and we'll get the antidote so that she doesn't have anything to fear."

"I don't think she's the one you should be worried about," Astoria reasoned, shaking a finger at them. "No. I'd probably be more worried about Weasley. I had to give him a little bit to in order to draw her to him. Obviously I should've given him more. Maybe that would've been better. If he didn't have any moral obligations he would've really gone to town."

"Draco," Blaise warned, struggling to keep him back.

"You're fucking batty if you think I'm going to marry you," he said, shaking his head. "Absolutely fucking nuts."

She shook her head, closing her eyes as she clicked her tongue. "Draco, Draco, Draco. We both know you'll go through with. We promised to marry before the end of my seventh year. If we don't marry on the eighteenth then both our inheritances are null and void, and we all know you won't give up the family fortune."

"December is hardly the end of the school year," he grumbled, shaking his head. "And my only duty is marry and carry on the family line. My parents picked you out of desperation, I didn't. I could still marry someone else and keep my family's history intact."

She barked out a laugh, her gaze hardening. "The Mudblood!? Your ancestors will roll over in their graves before they allow someone like her to become one of the family!"

"Their opinions aren't very important to me these days," he reasoned, keeping his wand level with her. "And I'd rather forgo the fortune than be bound to you."

"Your mother's already come up with a way to get you there," she replied, looking unconcerned. "Mudblood be damned. I was just trying to speed the process along."

"You didn't do a good job," he sneered.

She pouted again, lifting her legs up into a bent position. The skirt slid down her thighs, revealing a lot more of Astoria than he cared to see. "Don't worry Drakey – three weeks and we'll be together forever."

"Like hell."

Astoria shrugged. "Go on, report me. What good is it going to do? It's a _lust_ powder. Until she does something she'll whither and beg for someone to help her. Putting her in the infirmary won't help." She laughed, meeting his gaze. "Actually, go on and report me! I'd love to see the fallout when the whole _world hears_ little miss perfect is begging for it."

Draco jumped forward, grabbing her blouse once more. He vaguely registered that Blaise failed to restrain him, something he was glad for this time. "No one's going to hear about it."

"Oh, are you going to fix it yourself then?" she asked, continuing to laugh. "Go on. Least it'll be out of your system once we get married. She's completely out of her mind by now, I'm sure of it. Play out a fantasy Draco; you'll only get the chance once."

Draco lost control, finally snapping when he drew his hand back. Blaise reacted, dragging the blond back before he could do something he regretted. Draco struggled, glaring down at the woman before him as she sneered.

"Three weeks," she seethed, getting up off the floor. "Then you're all mine."

"Draco let her go," Blaise urged, barely restraining the blond. He held onto his wand as he glared, trying to put together what was happening into something that made sense. She was spouting nonsense, and he couldn't distinguish what was a sham and what wasn't.

He badly wanted to reach out and show her exactly how much he hated her, but beating but the girl wouldn't make him feel better, and it definitely wouldn't help Hermione.

"Why'd you give Weasley some too?" he spat, glaring at her. "If he's in on it he probably doesn't need any convincing."

Astoria waved a hand, looking bored. "Oh, he's a little bitch. He can only pursue her when angry or drunk. Now he's got that leech Brown hanging off of him and it's incredibly distracting. He's working with _me_ , he doesn't need that fickle thing tagging along. All she does is distract him from going after Granger."

"She dumped him."

"Well that doesn't matter," Astoria huffed, shaking her head. "None of it's going to matter soon, Darkey. You'll be mine, I promise you that."

"A little cryptic," Blaise grumbled, and Draco nearly slammed his head back into his friends. Anything to be let free right now and grab her again. She was playing with everyone's fates to determine her own future, and she didn't give a damn who she crushed in the process.

If he didn't leave right now, he wasn't certain she would leave at all. All he could see was red and Astoria was at the center of it.

"What kind of deal did you make with my mother?" he growled, glaring at her. He was furious, but he wasn't dumb enough to ignore the details. Astoria was a tell type of person, not a show. If she could impress you in the moment she would, and he hoped she'd continue spilling details.

Astoria winked, reaching out to run her fingers through his hair. Blaise let go, apparently more concerned with being out of the line of fire than keeping Draco from attacking her. "Oh, just a little something," she purred.

"Tell me," he seethed, placing his wand at her neck again. She still didn't look frightened, like she knew there was something going on that he couldn't beat.

She leaned in, breathing on his face. "Daddy's going to be unhappy with you if you break the vow," she whispered, meeting his gaze. "He's _so_ looking forward to the wedding. You know he always wanted to see his little boy carry on family tradition."

Draco's confidence faltered, unsure what exactly Astoria was getting at. "Your father is dead. Mine's in Azkaban for life. Neither will be there on the eighteenth."

She shrugged, pressing her chest into his. "Don't be so certain of things, darling. Don't forget what we Greengrass's made our fortune on."

As she pulled back Draco felt his confidence wean, his wand slackening as her words set in.

It was a lie. It _had_ to be.

He'd heard through the grapevine from Daphne once that the family used to be responsible for funding a lot of the construction of Azkaban's additional cells in the past century. It was ironic really, since many members of the family found themselves behind bars in that very prison.

They had influence before the war, specifically in who came in and out of the prison. Azkaban might be a government structure, but offering private funding allowed the Greengrass family to have more of a say in who went in and, more specifically, came back out.

"No one's going to listen to a work you have to say," Draco replied, but his voice wasn't as certain now. He'd never really considered the Greengrass influence on Azkaban, especially now that nearly every pureblood family was out of favor of the Ministry.

She laughed, clapping her hands together. "Oh, I get your attention now, did I? Your mother knew you wouldn't be able to ignore us once you heard the news." She grinned, placing her hands confidently on her hips. "Daddy's coming home Draco."

 **A/n: And there's chapter 21! It's been close to a year since I posted this story, and I have to admit I thought I might have more posted by this time but 21 chapters is decent. Hope you liked it, and here we go stirring the drama some more. Don't worry, we'll check in on Hermione next chapter. Let me know what you think!**


	22. Chapter 22

Hermione blinked, a painful thumping in her head dragging her from sleep. She reached up groggily, groaning as she finally opened her eyes.

The bright lights above told her she wasn't in her dorm anymore, and it took many seconds for her eyes to adjust before she could focus on anything.

The first thing she saw was Harry, looking largely uncomfortable as he watched her.

"H-Harry?" she asked, feeling disoriented. Her movement felt sluggish, and she ran a hand over her face, blinking rapidly. "What-"

"You're in the hospital wing," he explained, straightening his glasses. He took a breath, his face finally coming into proper focus. He took a deep breath before continuing, fidgeting with his hands. "I've been with you since yesterday-"

"Yesterday?" she asked, sitting up. She grasped at her hair, trying to remember what happened. "Why – why am I in here? Where's Draco-"

"He's probably talking to the headmistress," he replied, raising his eyebrows. "Has been for a while now."

Hermione shook her head, looking around the hospital wing. Her eyes zeroed in on the other end of the room, where Ron lay groaning in his sleep, Ginny standing in a rather threatening stance beside the bed.

She turned, giving Harry a peculiar look. "Wha-"

He sat on the bed, tentatively grabbing her arm before letting go again, settling for clasping his own together. "It's kind of a long story."

Her eyes widened and she straightened out, trying to replay everything that happened yesterday. "Well I'm all ears. You better explain Harry, right now."

He rubbed his head awkwardly, looking anywhere but her. "Uh… where would you like me to start?"

She gestured around, like it was obvious. "How about with this, first of all?"

"Right. Well, after you got drugged – by Astoria mind you, and yeah, I've heard all the yelling from Malfoy and half his friends – I think he went off to tell McGonagall, and Pansy came and knocked on the Gryffindor common room door until somebody answered and came to find Ginny and I. We found you here in the hospital wing. I think Malfoy and the others brought you here."

Her eyebrows shot up. "Others?"

"You know, Pansy and Nott and Zabini."

She blinked, looking around. "Uh, they brought Ron too?"

Harry scoffed, turning to glare at his longtime friend across the room. "No. _I_ brought him here when we found him humping a wall."

Hermione stared, wondering if she was hearing things. "What?"

"You heard me right. He was humping a wall. Astoria tried to drug you guys, some sort of backwards payback at Malfoy or something. Anyway, she didn't give as much of the potion to Ron as she did you because she only had one batch-"

"Harry," she said slowly, raising a hand to silence him. "You're rambling. What are you talking about, what potion?"

He turned red, looking anywhere but her. "Uh, right. Astoria dosed you, and she gave the same thing to Ron-"

She sighed, cutting him off again. "Harry, would you just tell me what she dosed us with? That's probably important."

He turned a shade redder, clearing his throat before he spoke again. "Oh, uh… a lust potion."

Hermione was quiet for several moments. "What?"

"Uh-" he paused, clearing his throat, "uh, a lust potion."

"What!?" she shrieked, looking around the room. Ginny looked up from her consistent glaring at Ron, who only managed to put a pillow over his head to block out the noise. "Are you telling me that little brat tried to roofie me!?"

"Something like that," he agreed, getting up when Hermione started throwing off the blankets. "Uh, but it's a little more complicated than that."

"Oh, why is that?" she seethed, glaring between Ron's bed and the door on the opposite side of the room. "I don't even know which one of these idiots to go after first! Ron had to be in on it-"

"Hermione," he said calmly, placing his palms lightly on either shoulder. She paused, staring at her best friend as he just barely touched her, hardly letting the palms of his hands rest there. "Like I said, it's more complicated than that. Sit back down."

"Are you nuts?" she snapped, shaking her head. "If Astoria pulled a move like this they will kick her out of school! I've got to go show this bint a piece of my mind before she's completely gone! Who the hell thinks they can just go around drugging Hermione Granger? I can't let her get away with it! The nerve-"

"It's still in your system," he interrupted, finally getting her to quiet down. She paused, blinking several times at him. "Madame Pomfrey couldn't remove the potion from your system because it's acting on, well…"

"It's acting on your own urges already in your system!" Ginny supplied, yelling across the room. "It means your already horny for someone else so the magic isn't truly a foreign body!"

Hermione blanched, feeling a blush grow from her hairline down to her chest. Of course the ginger thought it was okay to scream that across the bloody room, and in front of her best friend to boot! Harry looked just as uncomfortable as she was, keeping his gaze focused primarily on the ceiling.

"Oh," was all she managed to say, letting the information sink in. She dropped her gaze, catching sight of a deep red bracelet around her wrist for the first time. She reached out to touch it, and Harry just about came unglued.

"Don't touch that!"

"Okay, okay!" she yelled back, throwing up her hands. "But what is it?"

He rubbed his head, looking back towards the nursing station. "Damn, she was serious."

"Serious about what?"

"Pomfrey said she would make Harry explain!" Ginny supplied, glancing up again. She remained by Ron's bed, looking like she intended to smack some sense into him the moment he took that pillow off of his head.

Hermione glanced at Harry. "What exactly is Ginny doing?"

He shrugged. "I told you Ron got a little bit of the potion too. I guess Astoria tried using a persuasion spell, coupled with some sort of lust potion. I don't know, it sounds sketchy to me. All I know is she tried this potion, tried to tell you to go find Ron, and you ended up back in your dorm room with Malfoy."

She blinked, pieces coming back into her mind. Yes, she remembered going back to her dorm and feeling disoriented. She even recalled running into Astoria…

Oh Merlin, she asked Draco to have sex with her! And worse, she mentioned Ron. Her cheeks reddened all over again.

Talk about embarrassing. She would _never_ be that brazen, and he'd probably label her a loon now that this happened.

Worse… what if he thought she actually did want Ron?

She covered her face, groaning. "Oh god."

"It's technically better," Harry said, his voice squeaky. "Malfoy could at least tell that something was wrong. Ron, well… I'm not sure what Ron would've done."

"He would've been an arse!" Ginny supplied, smacking the bed. "An arse who refuses to wake up!"

"Right," Harry replied, shaking his head. "Anyway, he could tell something was wrong, and I don't totally know how but he put the pieces together and confronted Astoria, who all but admitted it to him. He's talking to McGonagall now, and I think they were going to try and contact Kingsley too, though I don't really know why."

Hermione shook her head. This was way too much to deal with. How could she ever face her fake boyfriend again? "And uh… the bracelet?"

"Yeah, about that," he agreed, glancing away again. "Since the magic wasn't a foreign body and acted on something already inside you, there's no removing it. It just intensifies the urge to uh… sleep with someone."

"To sleep with Malfoy!" Ginny called, picking up another pillow to beat her brother. "Not Ron! Ron's a twat!"

She stared for a moment, taking in the absurdity of the situation. "Has she been this way the whole time?"

"No," Harry said, shrugging. "I wanted to beat Ron's face in at first, cause he went along with it. He tried to deny it but Ginny ripped into him, and he confessed pretty quick what he was doing." He shook his head, looking disgusted. "He says he needed the courage to pursue you, but not the entire potion to go through with it."

Hermione shuddered, thinking of what Ron may have done if she'd ended up going to him. Glancing at the siblings she could see the fire in Ginny's eyes, and upon further inspection she realized the girl's wand was on the bed just beside her.

"Ginny tried to smother him after I took her wand," Harry continued. "She's tried twice. I'm going to have to go take the pillow if she continues."

"Seriously?"

"Well, she wanted to curse him at first. I couldn't let her do that either. I'd love to beat Ron right now, but she's so involved with making sure he learns to, quote on quote, _'properly respect every damn female he ever sees ever again'_ Ginny hasn't really let up. It's kind of terrifying."

Hermione smiled softly, glad to have her friends there with her. They could be arguing with her about who was right or wrong, but whatever happened while she was asleep certainly put things into perspective.

Then the reality of what Harry and Ginny said set in, and her eyes widened. "Is this bracelet controlling my… my…"

Harry cleared his throat. "Yeah. It's um, it's supposed to help with the _lust_ until it can be expelled. Pomfrey said any other means of removing the magic would be dangerous and painful, and it would be easier to naturally use it up." He was redder than the bracelet now, looking at the ceiling once more. "Though I really, really, don't want to know when or who you use the magic on."

Hermione blushed too, thinking of the man she sought out when her mind was a jumbled mess. Draco didn't do one thing to her, and he somehow figured out what had happened.

He'd seen her vulnerable more than once now, and he'd never taken advantage. The same certainly couldn't be said for Ron.

She stared at the bracelet, trying to figure out if she should scream and panic. Astoria tried to give her a lust potion to quite literally _walk_ to the man who tried to assault her once, and now that magic was bound to her until she could exhaust the lust that was already inside her.

It didn't make sense. It couldn't make sense! If she had lust inside her before, physical urges for someone…

There was only one person she'd gotten close to like that, and if her lust was a result of Draco, that made the whole situation a lot more complicated.

Staring at Ron, she felt her nerves beginning to fracture. What almost, _almost_ , happened rested in her mind as a reality and she felt herself starting to break, a sob escaping before she could stop herself. Harry moved almost instinctively, moving forward to wrap his arms around her shaking shoulders.

She loved it, appreciated it, but couldn't fight down the feeling that this wasn't what she wanted. She wanted another set of arms, so familiar with comforting her it was almost second nature.

Where was Draco? Lust potion or not, she needed him now, more than ever.

* * *

"Do you understand me, Mr. Malfoy?"

Draco bit down the urge to reply sarcastically, knowing he was already walking on eggshells in this situation. After informing McGonagall _and the bloody Ministry_ about what he learned from Astoria about his father, he was finally close to leaving the office.

He didn't want to spend most of the day up there. He wanted to be in the hospital wing with Hermione, there to comfort her when she woke up confused and in the same room as that arsehole. Instead he had to answer questions and explain what had happened up to this point, and remained in the office all the way until two Aurors arrived to escort Astoria out for further questioning.

She was in serious trouble. If she was trying to smuggle a high risk Death Eater out of Azkaban, even if she was just joking, it was no laughing matter. She'd be in trouble with the Ministry now, and the only upside was she might be in prison herself by the eighteenth instead of harping on him about a wedding.

Maybe it would be better that way. One could only hope.

Staring at Minerva now, he knew exactly what she wanted to hear. She was aware of the magic used on Hermione, and more aware that emotional potions like that latched on to feelings already in place inside the wizard or witch, like Amortentia let each individual person smell something related to the person they fancied.

He was more or less rooming with someone fighting a lust potion now, and that couldn't sit well with the headmistress.

Rolling his eyes, he crossed his arms. "You know I'm not going to do anything. If I wanted to it would've happened yesterday when she was already drugged."

Minerva nodded, a soft twinkle in her eyes. "Yes, that is what I believe too. But the bracelet Madam Pomfrey put in place only helps to control these urges Mr. Malfoy. If the feeling was already inside Ms. Granger then it's likely she didn't know what to do with them since she didn't act on them. The bracelet won't keep her feelings at bay, it only helps to keep her rational until the potion's magic is used up."

He scoffed. The old bat was quite possibly the last person he wanted to talk to about this. "I know."

"Then I expect that as head boy and her dorm mate you will make sure Ms. Granger doesn't fall into any unpleasant situations until the excess magic is removed," Minerva continued, sitting back in her seat. "No funny business."

Draco resisted the urge to slam his head into the desk. Anything would be better than talking to the old bat about this for another moment. He'd explained everything he had to, he didn't know why he was still being bothered. "Obviously."

She nodded once, satisfied with the answer. "Pomfrey sent me an alert while we were talking that Hermione was released from the hospital wing. Mr. Potter and Ms. Weasley will probably walk her back to the dorms. Just be mindful when you see her Mr. Malfoy, she's probably overwhelmed."

"Great," he grumbled, pushing away from the desk. He'd had a headache the last fifteen hours, between wrestling Astoria down to the headmistress' office in the middle of the night and explaining why this was a matter of upmost importance, he really just wanted to try sleeping now.

But he couldn't. The one witch he'd wanted to see for hours was on her way back to their dorms, and he needed to make sure she was alright with his own eyes. Potter and the She-Weasel were fine and dandy to watch her, but there were things he knew about Hermione that the others didn't.

He wouldn't trust that she was okay until he could look her over himself, run his fingers over her skin and ensure she was still in one piece. "I can go then."

"Yes," she agreed, sighing as she spoke. "I understand it's hard to turn in one of your own Mr. Malfoy-"

"I know," he interrupted, turning on his heel to walk out of the room, "it's noble and shit. I don't care about that though; if Astoria's in trouble she's out of my hair. Now if you excuse me, there's someone I need to see."

 **A/n: Tada! So, if my assumption is correct, this is not how you all expected the chapter to go. That was my intention, I wanted it to be a surprise and different than a typical story. Don't worry though, we get some protective Draco and a Draco/Hermione filled chapter up next. Let me know your thoughts!**


	23. Chapter 23

She looked normal. At least, as normal as she could with Potter on one side and the she-weasel on the other.

Draco let the door fall shut, the resounding echo bouncing off the walls of their dorm as Hermione fidgeted between the pair, looking incredibly uncomfortable as the duo faced off against him. Draco hadn't gotten a chance to speak to the pair, he was only informed of their presence in the hospital wing by the old bat several _hours_ after dragging Astoria to her office. They had bags under their eyes, but the duo didn't look murderous like he expected.

In fact, Weaselette almost look amused.

"Playing guard dogs now?" he asked tiredly, sliding down into the nearest chair. The redheads lip twitched into a smile but disappeared just as quick, glancing at the other two.

Hermione groaned. "They wanted to make sure I'm okay."

"In the dorm room?"

She nodded, looking embarrassed. "Ah… since, y'know, the potion…"

Draco ran a hand over his face, too tired for this shit. It was early, unbearably so, and he just spent the entirety of last night dealing with a bunch of people he didn't particularly like. Couldn't everyone bugger off so he could sleep?

"We really don't have to talk about anything," Hermione continued, standing up. "Everyone's exhausted. Someone should probably go check on Ron-"

"He's attached to the bed," Ginny said mischievously, grinning at the confused looks shot her way, "I'll check on him when we leave. He deserves it." She straightened her shoulders, giving Draco a pointed look. "We just want to make sure there's no funny business in here."

"Ginny wants to make sure," Potter corrected, pushing his glasses up his nose. He looked somewhat uncomfortable, and if Draco had to take a guess it wouldn't be hard to figure out why. "And me too, I guess. I don't think there's any reason to worry about anything uh, happening here-"

"Bloody hell," he grumbled, pinching the bridge of his nose. "It's a damn lust potion Potter. Pomfrey gave her something to manage it, and you know Hermione's smart so nothing is going to happen to her here or _anywhere_ else. If that's what you're so concerned about then you have nothing to worry about and it would be really great if you could fuck off so I can sleep."

"I told you two there's nothing to worry about," Hermione sighed, glancing between the pair. "Really, we've all had a long night and we should all be sleeping now. Come on, all I want to do is go to sleep. This bracelet is going to be a part of me for a while, so we better all get used to it. I told you waiting up wouldn't do any good."

Potter frowned, looking around the room. "We just want to make sure there are no misunderstandings. After everything that happened-"

"I can handle this on my own Harry," she continued, blushing. "I really don't need _moral_ support. If anything I'd like to pretend that this didn't happen until at least after I've had some rest."

"No funny business though," the she-weasel continued, pointing to Draco. "And of course you'll make sure no one else-"

" _Ginny_ ," Hermione stressed, interrupting before he could. "You two wanted to wait up until Draco got here, and now he's back so you can stop worrying. Nothing's going to happen to me. Madame Pomfrey said they removed Astoria from the school anyway."

"That's true," Draco agreed, arching a brow. "She's being questioned by the Ministry. She's not even on the grounds right now."

The duo gave him a funny look but Hermione didn't, something akin to understanding passing through her eyes. Unlike her meddling friends, she had some semblance of what was going on with his crazy bride-to-be, and hopefully he wouldn't have to explain as much to her as the others.

He'd leave that up to her. That sounded like a Gryffindor lunch-discussion anyway.

"So there's no threat," Hermione said tiredly, grasping each of her friends arms. "Please, go back to your dorms and rest. We'll all be dead on our feet if we don't relax soon, and nothing can happen in here. I told you all I want to do is sleep."

The pair relented, speaking to her for a few more moments before heading to the door. Draco tried to decide if it was endearing or annoying that they felt they had to wait up for him in the bloody dorm. Hermione wasn't an idiot; she wouldn't just let anyone into the dorm, and from the sounds of it their biggest threats were taken care of for the night. Did the pair seriously think he'd do anything to her after everything?

Glancing to the side, he briefly caught Potter's eyes. He thought the man might look suspicious, but for once he didn't have an aire of uncertainty around him. Potter met his gaze head on, and Draco thought he saw a glimmer of gratitude shining through.

He must be bloody exhausted. Potter didn't look at him with anything but disdain and sarcasm.

When the duo finally left he didn't even bother glancing at the clock, figuring that the hour would just make him feel that much more exhausted. He stared at his door, debating if he should go disappear there. Something about Hermione felt detached, and he wondered if Astoria's fucking actions caused the girl to withdraw into herself somehow.

The door was barely closed when a weight lodged into his side, and he barely had time to glance up before Hermione had wrapped him into an airtight hug, sitting on the arm of the chair, his head rather dangerously close to her breasts.

He blinked, hugging her back as he stared straight ahead. This certainly hadn't happened before.

Wrapping his arms tightly around her waist, he ignored the rational side of his mind as he dragged her off the side of the chair and down onto his lap, letting her bury her face into his chest. He missed the contact from moments ago but dismissed the thought, dropping his head down to inhale her scent.

She smelled like herself, the barest traces of sterile equipment and linens lingering on her skin. The scent of the hospital wing remained with her but he didn't care, running his fingers down her back and arms to ensure she was intact.

In an instant, he forgot how tired he was. Without the lingering presence of Potter and Weaselette he could properly check her over, and he damn well knew he could see parts of her they couldn't.

He pulled back, dragging her away from his chest to study her face. His fingers massaged the soft skin of her cheeks, dusting away the pinpricks of tears lingering in her eyes.

He wet his lips, trying to come up with something soothing to say that wasn't a complete lie. He had no idea if she was okay, and saying so might cause the tears to spill over. Instead he didn't get the chance to, eyes widening when she lunge forward to capture his lips with hers.

His eyes widened, but he didn't attempt to stop the kiss. Everyone's warnings from before slipped away as he kissed her back, relishing in the fact that she still wished to be near him. After their last encounter, he wasn't sure what she would remember, but he didn't think she'd jump for the kiss.

She pulled back just as quickly, resting her forehead against his as she caught her breath. He tried to figure out what he was supposed to make of that, but she beat him to it.

"I didn't get a kiss last time," she said quietly, keeping her eyes closed. "When, I thought-"

"You didn't want a kiss last time," he said sternly, running his hands down her arms. "Don't apologize for something you couldn't control. I know what went on is because of that fucking powder."

A blush danced across her cheeks, and she kept her eyes closed. "I… uh, they said it wouldn't cause anything to happen unless there was lust for someone…"

Despite himself, Draco felt the barest traces of a grin pull across his lips. "You don't have to explain. I had a somewhat horrifying conversation with McGonagall about it already."

Hermione pulled back a little, giving him a wide-eyed look. "No."

"Oh yes. It's as awful as it sounds."

She smiled, her lips barely pulling up at the corners. "That's worse than talking with Harry about it."

He laughed then, wrapping his arms around her waist once more. "That sounds truly terrifying."

"Maybe for him."

He smiled, relishing in her normal behavior. He thought, feared, that she'd be afraid of him for some reason. But she hadn't hesitated touching him the moment they were alone, seeking comfort from him that he wasn't expecting. Running his fingers across her lower back once more, he felt a sense of calm wash over him. Looking at her now he could see that nothing was really wrong with her, other than her nerves being frazzled. She didn't look hurt, and other than the tacky bracelet Pomfrey gave her Hermione looked the same as she did hours before, only now her eyes were focused again and she wasn't begging that twat _Weasel_ for anything.

His fingers barely tightened on her waist before relaxing, knowing she had no idea what he was thinking. He didn't want to focus on the fear he'd seen in her eyes from before, and the unsuppressed anger that bubbled up when she said _his_ name.

 _The magic will stay until she states her needs._

He watched her hands, smoothing the fabric of his shirt over and again as she fidgeted. Astoria's words bounced around unpleasantly in his head, and Hermione's jittery fingers didn't make him feel any better.

He didn't believe for a moment that only sleeping with Weasley would fix the problem, but if word got out that she was horny all the time he figured it would end badly. Letting go of her waist he moved and grabbed her hands, meeting her eyes as he kissed her knuckles.

"How do you feel?"

She laughed hollowly, shifting back from him on his lab. She wasn't breathing the same air as him now, glancing sideways to avoid his gaze. "Tired."

"Mhmm."

Barely glancing at him, the blush showed up once more. "And uh… lustful."

He nearly laughed at the way she worded it, like the entire concept was too weird to voice. Snuffing out the laughter with a grin, he tightened his grip on her hands. "The barrier will help, so long as you don't take the bracelet off."

"Great," she grumbled, pulling her hands away, "I'm now a prisoner of my own primal needs."

Draco frowned as she got up off his lap, turning briskly towards her room. He hadn't even got up off the chair yet when she spoke again. "And I'm going to have to do something about it."

His eyes widened, remaining balanced on the edge of the chair as she turned again, filling the silence once more. "And I don't want to! Why is everything about sex? Why can't I just do things in my own time?"

"Well-"

"And that bleeding twit!" she continued, stomping her foot. "This is all her fault! Just because Astoria's legs have been open for business the last three years doesn't mean mine have to be!"

This time he did laugh, realizing even the Gryffindor's knew what kind of habits Astoria had. "Don't take it personally. She did this to get under both of ours skins. If she's been working with Weasel I'm not surprised that they jumped to this extreme."

Not surprised, but he was definitely angry about it.

"But why!?" she groaned, waving her hands around her. "What does _my_ sleeping with anyone have to do with your blasted wedding!?"

"I really don't know."

Hermione sighed, crossing her arms. He stayed where he was, trying to figure out if she was avoiding him or if she was actually upset.

Tilting his head, he noticed the flush in her cheeks. Her fingers dug into her arms, like she was restraining herself. His eyes widened, realization dawning on him.

It was harder for her than he thought.

"I hate this," she groaned, tilting her head towards the ceiling. He wasn't sure if she was talking to him again or herself. "Why is this even happening?"

"Well-"

"It's sarcasm Draco!" she continued, stomping back to their living room. She fell down on the sofa, grabbing her hair as she stared at the floor. "Why!? I don't like having my own feelings amplified out of my control! Why – why do I want to sleep with you!?"

He arched an eyebrow, deciding he could push her a little about his. Other than the other night when she thought he was Weasel, she'd never mentioned that before. Lusting after him was one thing, but openly admitting it was completely different. "I don't know. Why do you?"

She raised her head, clenching her hands together before her before speaking again. "Do you know why I came here instead of going after Ron like I should've?"

Draco tilted his head, all of his attention focused on the brunette. He'd been insanely curious about that. "No."

Hermione hesitated before getting up, moving to sit down on the foot stool in front of the chair. She bit her lip, hesitating before she spoke again. "Astoria… she split the potion between Ron and I. She gave Ron less, and I didn't get a full dose. When I came to I knew I needed to find Ron, according to the potion. But some part of me… I knew I really didn't want to. I knew where I was in the school when I came to, so I made myself walk back to the dorm because I knew it would be safe but, I don't know." She shook her head. "It's like I couldn't see straight, like I was walking down a dark hallway with only one goal in mind. When I got back here I kept seeing you and then… then you would be Ron. I thought… I don't know. I figured if I could see you then it couldn't really be Ron."

"You fought it off," he said, his brows drawing together.

She nodded, clenching her hands together. "I just knew I couldn't go see Ron."

Shifting closer, she slipped back into Draco's side. Taking a shaky breath, he let her fill the silence once more. "Now I'm stuck like this, until the magic itself is spent."

"True."

Huffing, she pulled away far enough to meet his eyes. "And you're going to have to help me with that."

 **A/n: Kind of an abrupt ending, but half the next chapter is written because I had to cut it someplace. Hopefully you all don't hate me for it. Thanks for following and let me know your thoughts!**


	24. Chapter 24

Hermione was, for lack of a better term, pissed.

Sitting there in class the following day, she couldn't help but glare at Draco throughout the lesson. With the absence of Astoria that morning and Ron for the entire day while he recovered, she could focus solely on what was bothering her.

Why the hell was he avoiding her?

She thought her offer last night was fair – she _did_ want Draco to help out with her newest problem. She couldn't imagine anyone else doing so, and at least with Ron and Astoria otherwise occupied today she didn't have to worry about rumors circulating about her new accessory. For the most part, everyone seemed to believe the ugly red-stoned bracelet was a gift from Malfoy.

She was almost embarrassed to admit that she hadn't paid any attention during the entirety of this lesson, and would be worried if she hadn't already finished the textbook on her own last week.

Drumming her nails on the smooth tabletop, she found her irritation ever-growing as Draco continued to ignore her. She expected something after her declaration last night! Where was his response?

" _I don't think you're ready for my help yet."_

Of all the snide, arrogant things to say! She thought perhaps there was something growing between them, some sort of misled attraction that formed during this ruse. But now he wouldn't even bother trying to help her out when she really needed it? Hermione knew plenty about the rumors circulating in the past about Draco's sexual prowess, and she felt more than a little discouraged that he wouldn't even try to help her with the newest problem.

How exactly was she expected to focus in class when her mind kept drifting elsewhere?

Glancing towards him again, Hermione was marginally horrified to find her mind drifting off to forbidden places. Malfoy wore rather fitted clothing, highlighting his physique honed over the years by Quidditch, and she couldn't quite keep herself from letting her eyes dance over him.

He looked up from the notes he was pretending to take, smirking when their eyes met. He'd caught her doing this three times so far, and she immediately snapped her gaze away again when he smirked.

The damned moron. He didn't get to play around if he didn't plan to help. He seemed almost distanced since last night, like something bothered him under the surface of everything. She thought he would be relieved that she was alright, and for several hours he was, but now they seemed to have slipped back into the exact same manner as before Astoria's attempt. And perhaps even a little further back.

It was infuriating. She finally started having a real interest in the bleeding twit, and it was as though he now held her at an arm's length since this morning.

" _Why exactly can't I sleep with the door closed?" she called from her bedroom, glancing uneasily at the open door to the common room._

" _Just leave it open a while. I'm not going to sleep just yet."_

 _Hermione frowned, continuing to stare out the door. From where she was she couldn't see Draco, even sitting down on her bed. "What difference does it make? I'm just going to sleep."_

 _There was a pause before he spoke again, one that seemed to stretch out for too long. "Just leave it open."_

When she woke that morning the door was still open. Some sleeping draught kept any potential nightmares at bay the evening before, and Draco was already up by the time she rose.

That had never happened before, and he'd been dodging her questions ever since.

When the bell finally rang signaling the end of the lesson Hermione nearly jumped from her seat. Her gaze snapped over to Draco, who only raised an eyebrow as he stood. Taking his hand, she practically dragged him from the classroom before anyone could catch them.

"Isn't our next class the other way?" he asked, letting her lead the way. She turned them down a hallway away from the crowds of students, taking several more turns before she was finally satisfied and stopped, spinning around to drop her bag as she glared at him.

Hands on her hips, she scowled. "What the hell Draco?"

Arching an eyebrow, he titled his head as he studied her. "What?"

" _What_?" she mimicked, rolling her eyes. "You've hardly said anything to me since last night!"

He shifted, his gaze flickering away. "We talked."

"No, I talked. To you. A lot. And you hardly said anything other than I'm not ready for your help!"

"Well you're not," he agreed, narrowing his eyes. "And until you are there isn't really anything to talk about."

Huffing, Hermione reached out and grabbed his wrist. He didn't pull away, but she felt him stiffen beneath her touch. "Don't shut me out," she snapped, jerking his arm. "We talked for what, a half hour last night before you demanded we go to sleep? Did you even sleep?"

"I think you're the one that complained everyone would be dead on their feet if we didn't."

Hermione cried out in frustration, throwing up her hands. "I don't get it! I thought you'd be more than willing to help me out. I mean, you helped me with everything else."

Draco narrowed his eyes at her words, crossing his arms. "I already told you-"

"Oh, cut the crap! Give me a real reason you won't bloody help me."

 _Hermione hesitated, her declaration hanging in the air between them for many moments. Her fingers spasmed nervously on her knee, feeling her nerves grow with each passing second that he didn't offer a response. She'd very nearly lost her confidence and gotten up off the chair when he spoke again, his hand coming to grip her chin as his index finger ran over her lips._

 _He had kissed her, his opposite hand holding her steady to keep her from getting up. Her hands reacted on their own, flying up to grip the fabric of his robes, her body charged from a high she'd never experienced before. His kisses were softer than the ones he'd given her since Hogsmeade, his fingers so gentle when he touched her._

 _She was almost insulted. She wanted so much more!_

 _As though reading her mind, Draco deepened her kiss, using his grip on her chin to angle her lips exactly as he wanted. He nipped gently at them running his tongue along her lips until she granted him access, letting his hand shift from her chin to the back of her head, tangling his fingers into her hair to hold her in place. His opposite hand slipped to her lower back, skimming the hem of her blouse and the waistline of her trousers._

 _She responded almost too well, gasping quietly for him when his hand shifted upward beneath the fabric, lazily dragging her closer to him. She didn't know if she should be focusing more on the path of his fingers or the sinful things his tongue was doing to her mouth. His fingers traveled across her lower back several times before shifting higher, fingering the back of her bra for a few moments before sliding around to the front._

 _Hermione stiffened, all her confidence from moments ago disappearing. Instead of letting up he continued, easing up the hold on the back of her head as he shifted his attentions from her lips, carrying the kisses down her jaw and neck, sucking and biting gently at the skin there._

 _She didn't relax yet, but the hand fisted into his shirtfront tightened instead of pushing him away, her breaths picking up as his fingers danced across the underside of her breasts, staying above the fabric as he tested her limits, cupping the entirety of her breast. She felt her breathing change, her breaths deepening when he started to work her up. When she didn't pull away he tried again, dragging out such a delightful moan from her lips that he couldn't help but squeeze._

 _Hermione's head lulled, lost in his touch as he palmed her over the top of her bra, dragging up the peaks of her nipples with his fingers. Her other hand had dropped to grip his thigh, involuntary or not, and it remained there until he tugged at the cup of her bra, the tips of his fingers touching her skin there._

 _She stiffened, all of the excitement in her body suddenly disappearing. Draco didn't push her further, retracting his fingers from her rigid form and away from her exposed skin as he kissed gently, almost tenderly, back up her neck._

 _With his hands clear of her skin, he pulled back and met her eyes. "I don't think you're ready for my help yet."_

Draco sighed loudly, dragging her out of the memory. "Because we're not to that point yet – and you're not ready! I can't help you sate anything at this point until you're comfortable enough to let me."

"I'm comfortable with you," she corrected immediately, crossing her arms over her chest. "I came to you when I didn't know where else to turn."

"You came to be because you feel safe," he argued, shaking his head. "Because you trust me to _not_ do anything to you. Weasel spoiled your perception of a good time, and you let your memory sink back to the past instead of holding onto the present. Until you are able to do that I _can't_ help you with this. You're just not ready, and it's really not a bad thing. Give yourself a fucking break, it's barely been three days."

Hermione stiffened, tightening her arms more protectively around herself. "I don't want a break Draco, I want this problem done and over with."

He sneered, throwing up his hands. "That's not the right reason to sleep with a person!"

She cringed. Even to her own ears that sounded pretty rigid. She wouldn't enjoy herself if she only focused on the end goal and forgot to have fun along the way. As annoying as it was, Draco was right.

She just wished it wasn't this damn hard. Shifting uncomfortably from foot to foot she dropped her gaze, trying to think of a different point. "It would be good revenge towards Ron."

Draco's gaze hardened, and she knew immediately she'd lost him. "You don't _get revenge_ on somebody by throwing your virginity away to the next bloke that walks by. Who fucking cares if it would burn Weasley or not? Like you said before, it's really none of his business what you chose to do with your body."

Blushing, Hermione shifted her gaze away. "Yeah, well, he and Astoria really made sure I didn't have much of a say in that."

"You have every say," he corrected, moving forward. His fingers knit beneath her chin, lifting her head up until their eyes met. "It's up to you everything that happens from here, but you've got to stop treating everything like a marathon. Weasel won't be sticking it to anyone anytime soon. It's not like you have a clock to beat."

Hermione bit her tongue, thinking of Draco's impending wedding. Despite this last weekend, as far as she could tell the wedding was still going on. The newspapers hadn't reported a scandal about a cancelation of the whole event, and the majority of the student body was none the wiser as to what transpired.

Biting back the comment, she figured it could wait until later. Bringing it up now would only ruin his spiraling mood.

With a sigh she gave in, stepping closer until she found herself fastened in his embrace. "I just want to be done with this. I'm so sick of being dragged around."

"You'll get through it," he replied, gently stroking her hair. "Trust me Granger, I don't have any objections to helping you with this, it just doesn't all have to happen at once."

Closing her eyes, she focused on the rhythmic beating of his heart. It may not need to happen all at once, but she wouldn't be opposed to something more happening between them. One way or another, she needed to get over her panic around him. Draco had proven he wouldn't hurt her.

Lifting her head, she pointed at him. "Library then. Tonight, just after close. We're getting this thing started."

 **A/n: Wow, long time no see. Sorry this chapter doesn't have the romantic/sexual fluster you lot were probably looking for.**

 **I'm sorry it's been so long, a lot happened in the past few months. We bought a house, I changed careers and will be going back to school in November, we've gone to two weddings in two days in two different states, and our anniversary is in a couple weeks. On top of that, my flash drive met a frightful end at the beginning of this year, and any and all drafts, plans and summaries I had were destroyed. So for all my stories I'm building from the ground up. Of course, it included my original work too, which seriously hurt my heart.**

 **I'm hoping to update more often, but will make no guarantees since I end up breaking them. Just know that even if updates do end up more scattered, this story is not abandoned.**

 **Feel free to leave a review on this new installment. Your feedback fuels my inspiration each time I update. Until the next chapter.**


	25. Chapter 25

Hermione was more than annoyed when she realized her fatal flaw for their plans that night. Draco had patrols, and he couldn't just ignore them. They pushed off their meeting date until after he was finished, which meant she was sitting alone in her favorite spot in the library waiting for him. She slipped in before close, and he had the key to join her when he was finished.

 _Alone_.

She hadn't been alone in the library since everything went south with Ron. She wasn't concerned about him finding her, knowing he was just released from the hospital wing this afternoon. Knowing Ginny, she was certain he was getting another earful for his actions.

There was a rumor going around that he had an audience with the headmistress early that evening, but she couldn't be bothered to listen. Harry and Ginny would tell her when Ron received punishment for his foolishness.

Maybe, tomorrow, they'd have an update on Astoria. Despite herself she hoped the girl was not permitted to return to school, at least until after the winter holiday. That would more or less derail the supposed promise between Lucius Malfoy and her late father, and would put an end to the marriage sham Draco fought since the beginning of the year.

Sitting in her favorite spot, she peered around at the books. She wanted to just get up and read something, but her mind was totally distracted. Having already cast aside two books since arriving, a third wouldn't make any difference. It shouldn't be long now since she knew it would be an easy day for rounds, but that didn't lessen her boredom.

Or nerves. She wanted to move things along, get Draco to trust in her state of mind and actually help her through the overwhelming urges she felt. She didn't trust anyone else to help her through this, which meant she had to prove to him that she could handle the help he gave.

It wasn't exactly what she had pictured, and it was so far past the deal they originally made she wasn't even sure this qualified anymore, but Hermione couldn't fight her growing attraction to Draco. Even before Astoria's misstep she'd noticed the changes, the way she liked his company and his kisses more and more.

Laying down, she closed her eyes and thought of the man who would soon be arriving. Draco knew how to make her tick, and she was hoping he'd use his hands for a little more tonight. Resting her own across her belly, she wondered how that would feel.

Ron and Victor both had a hand at her breasts before, though she wouldn't call either of them particularly skilled on the matter. Victor obviously didn't have a lot of practice at the time, pinching way too hard and pulling too much until they simply ended up stopping. Ron was too rushed, barely paying much attention to them in his never ending quest to get in her pants.

From what she knew about Draco, he had enough practice to treat her properly. She'd been thinking this over for most of the day, and the idea was thrilling. At least if he helped her, she knew the experience would be a pleasant one. She'd never put herself in the position again of letting some wanker rush her along.

She knew what she liked on the rare – very rare – occasions she felt like touching herself, and she wondered if he'd use similar techniques or try something else entirely.

Hermione blamed her thoughts on the potion running ramrod in her system. Without it she'd never have such embarrassing thoughts.

Opening her eyes, she realized he still wasn't there. Pity, she was beginning to get antsy. Closing her eyes again she acknowledged that she'd probably hear something when he approached, and cautiously slid her hands up. Maybe if she was a little more in the mood when he arrived, Draco wouldn't be so bloody hesitant about touching her.

Or kissing her. He was so stiff now, like he was afraid he'd frighten her away.

"Having fun?"

Hermione squeaked, jumping up from within the pillows and slamming her head into the back of her little cocoon. She grunted, reaching a hand back to rub the sore spot as she noticed Draco above her, peering down with a look of pure amusement.

Well, that took all of two seconds.

"I thought I'd hear you coming," she grumbled, sitting up and drawing her legs in. Instead of feeling inspired now she just felt silly, and the bemused smirk playing at his lips did nothing to help her self-confidence.

"Please, don't stop on my account," he replied, plopping down on the opposite side so he could study her. "I didn't realize telling you to take things slow would make you take matters into your own hands."

Her cheeks colored, and she sat straighter, glaring at him. "Well it's not like you're taking anything into yours!"

Draco arched an eyebrow, and she suddenly wished she'd made her last statement a bit coyer. "Whatever happened to you wanting things to be special? I thought that was part of the reason Weasel's pushiness ruined it for you."

Sighing, she glanced away. "It does need to be special, and with the right person. I care about it being in my own time more than anything."

"So are you just going to play with yourself until I decide to give in?"

Hermione threw a pillow at his head, and she felt the mood around them lighten more than it had in days. Most everything about their agreement was so very serious, and Draco would almost never joke about things like this. The fact that he was pulled a smile from her lips.

He was trying to make her feel better. He may still believe she wasn't ready, but he at least wasn't going to continue holding her at an arm's length until the end of time.

She scooted across the space until she sat next to him, ignoring the jolt of electricity she felt when their shoulders touched. He didn't react, studying her movements like he always did until she was comfortable, snuggled up into his side, her face tilted so she could study his features.

"Stop being so careful," she grumbled, her fingers wrapping around his own. He didn't stiffen, and she sighed contently as she relaxed into him. "One stupid ploy from Ron and Astoria isn't going to shatter my faith in you. The fact that they were idiotic enough to do this is their own faults. But I'm not afraid of you and I'm certain you'll stop when you decide I'm not ready for more." She glared at him, giving the man a pointed look. "So stop acting like everything will be ruined if I let you do more than kissing. I'm not going to cower away Draco."

She didn't sit around waiting for him to argue with her again. Instead she tilted her face up, capturing his lips with her own. He didn't pull away, which was good as the connection immediately had her mind muddled with pure bliss.

Hermione had kissed Draco before more than enough times. But whatever haze the spell left her under seemed to be working its magic, and she felt his hand slip behind her back, supporting her when her bones started feeling like jelly. It was a kiss! It shouldn't cause her whole body to warm up with pleasure.

But it did.

Shifting, she pressed his back into the pillows so she could cup both his cheeks with her hands, deepening the kiss. She was tired of him telling her what she supposedly was and was not ready for. Hermione was a big girl; she'd decide for herself.

Annoyingly, his hand on her back rubbed smooth circles across the middle of her spine, but didn't seem eager to drift lower. Darting out her tongue, she hoped to at least tempt him. Nerves or not, she didn't possess the same fears with Draco that she did with Ron.

She trailed kisses down one side of his neck, enjoying the way he stroked her hair as she did so. But it wasn't enough. When he kissed her jaw like this she trembled beneath his touch, and it set her nerves on edge. Draco seemed to enjoy her attentions and hummed pleasantly wherever she kissed, but that was it. He wasn't losing control at her attentions.

It was bloody annoying.

Pulling back from him she frowned, her eyes glancing over his body. He kept his hand lazily on her back, continuing to trace small circles. Even that little touch had her skin tingling, and there was still fabric between their skin.

"Why can't I get you worked up?" she asked, sitting back from him. A pout pulled at her lips. "You do it so easily to me."

Draco smirked, continuing the same pattern along her back. "I never said you didn't."

"But you don't shake," she groaned, smacking his hand away. "Or moan. You're breathing hardly ever changes. You don't shake, I can't make you inhale sharply. You won't lose control around me, and I think I'm more bothered from kissing you just now than you are."

"Of course you are," he replied, wrapping both arms around her this time. "You're magically inclined to be."

Hermione huffed, trying to pull back from him. He didn't let up, which only annoyed her further. "That's not what I meant. Aren't you… don't you feel anything when I'm kissing you?"

The playful look on his face disappeared, his hands moving to smooth down the fabric of her blouse again. Studying his face she watched the mask on his face melt away a little, his eyes growing dark. "You have no idea."

"Really?" she asked, ignoring the way her heart fluttered. She knew there was something between her and Draco, but they didn't put it into so many words. She trailed her fingers along the collar of his shirt, and he rolled his neck at her touches. Hermione's eyes lifted to his. She was right, her touches didn't elicit the same noises his did, but he did seem a little bothered.

"I wouldn't work this hard to keep myself in check if you didn't make me want to do things to you," he remarked, dragging her closer again. His fingers ran up and down her back, causing little sparks to dance along her skin. "Just not yet. We've talked about this."

Rolling her eyes, she knit her arms around the back of his neck, throwing a leg over his waist so she straddled him. Draco's eyes widened, clearly surprised by the change in position. "You've asked me to tell you when to stop before, and I'll still obey. Please Draco, stop acting like I'll shatter if you touch me. I miss… I miss all those things we've been doing together."

His hands dug into the fabric of her blouse, wrinkling the material. He bit his lip, tilting his head until his lips ghosted over hers, and he drew a pleasant shudder from her at the action. "Promise you'll tell me?"

"Mhmm."

"Even through that haze in your eyes?"

"I still know when something's wrong," she replied, her eyes fluttering closed when he kissed her again. His hands didn't move from the fabric but they didn't need to, not when he started trailing the kisses down her cheek and neck again the same way she had, only he got her to softly moan.

Draco let one of his hands slip free from her back, coming around to toy with the top buttons of her blouse. His kisses traveled lower, licking and sucking at the skin at the juncture of her neck and shoulder, his fingers playing with the topmost button of her uniform.

Hermione groaned, surprised how good she suddenly felt without the man even touching her. He didn't seem to be paying her much mind in that moment, distracted by the skin he was nipping. She'd all but zoned out and let the feeling overtake her when his teeth suddenly sank down on her neck, sucking much harder than before. Gasping, her fingers tightening on his neck, her eyes widening.

He let up just as quickly, kissing the same patch of skin before flicking his wrist, letting the top button of the blouse open. "Relax. I'm not going to leave a mark unless you want me to."

She tried to think that over, but the words got lost in her mind when he returned to kissing her neck, flicking open the second button just as simply as the first. Relaxing into his grip, she let him pepper little kisses along her collar bone, popping two more buttons open until he could pull at the sleeve of her blouse and reveal her shoulder, skipping over the strap of her bra to continue on kissing there.

Hermione dimly realized she was panting, surprised such simple attentions could cause such a response. She once spent almost an hour with Ron trying foreplay and some simple kissing, and it barely caused a rise out of her. Draco had barely touched her, and already she felt like her body was alive and on fire.

He continued kissing down her chest, traveling back from her shoulder to below her jugular, kissing there before heading south. By the time he started kissing the tops of her breasts she thought her nails might dig all the skin off his neck with how much she was scratching him.

He briefly stopped, glancing up at her as he kissed the smooth skin again. His hand came up, lightly fingering the underside of her bra, his touch barely noticeable with how little pressure he applied. Still, the whole action made her want to scream.

Draco was hardly doing anything now, but with the way he was looking up at her through hooded eyes she thought she might scream.

"Tell me to stop."

It wasn't a question, more of a request. Hermione just shook her head, squirming on his lap. His grip on her shirt tightened but she didn't care, her fingers gently pulling at his short locks. "Don't stop."

Draco growled, the first real noise he'd made since Hermione threw herself at him. His gaze dropped, returning to kiss her skin above the bra before his hand shifted higher, fulling cupping her breast over the fabric.

She was embarrassed how loud she groaned from just that. He smirked against her skin, kissing her flesh one more time. When he pulled back his eyes were still unusually dark, hooded with an expression she didn't recognize. He looked her over, his fingers on her back gently rubbing again as he let the fabric go, his gaze sweeping over her more than once.

Hermione blushed under his gaze, unused to the blond man looking so directly at her for an extended period. When he met her gaze again he reached up, his fingers resting gently across his cheek as she regained her breath.

His fingers gently brushed her cheek before dragging over to her lips, running his fingertips over her bottom lip before pulling away. "It's more fun than I thought working you up."

She grinned, settling into his lap again. Hermione was feeling proud of herself; she hadn't panicked, and in fact, she felt like doing even more with Draco. The fact that he stopped was a bit of a letdown, her nerves still standing on end.

"You're not done though," she remarked, removing her hands from his reddened neck to place lightly on his chest. "I didn't tell you to stop yet."

Draco laughed at that, wrapping his arms around the brunette's slender waist, resting his forehead against her. "There's no rush Hermione; take things slow and enjoy it. There are plenty more days in the school year for us to finish this off."

And Hermione, despite herself, sank into his embrace. Even though she wanted to continue everything exactly as they had been a moment ago, there was something nice about stopping here. He still wasn't pushing, but he hadn't left her without anything either. With all the gentle touches and his kisses, Hermione had never felt more alive.

 **A/n: Let me know your thoughts! More romance and of course more drama are on the horizon!**

 **I am going to be asking all the readers of my stories this next question: If I self-published a story on Amazon with an "erotic" theme, would anyone be interested in this. The story I'm currently working on is very complex, and for a while now I've been debating posting something more fun and daring beforehand. Just looking for some thoughts and input. Thanks everyone!**


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